[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfred, Georgia. It is our prayer that you will be blessed by the preaching of God's Word.
[0:14] If you have your Bibles, we're going to go to 1 Samuel chapter 3. But before we do that, before I go in the message, I wanted to say thank you. There was a couple that came here today, and they're looking. They just got in, I think it was on December something like the 12th or 11th.
[0:27] They just came back from China. He was over there. He said he was teaching English. And while he was teaching English, his dad sent him an article that he read from Jake Taub. Now, if you know Jake Taub, that's kind of funny because everyone knows the Taubbies.
[0:40] They call them Taubes. But they're not Taubes. They're Taubbies. But anyways, his dad sent him the article saying that Jake got kicked out of China, and he started reading the blog, and he started following the links, and somehow he came to Mark Tolson, and he came to us, and he had all these questions.
[0:53] He's like, who's BCWE? Who's Our Generation Training Center? Who's Austin Gardner? Who's this, this, and this? He says, I really want to be trained. I went over to China, and I learned how to be an English teacher, but I wanted to get involved in, like, the church stuff.
[1:06] I wanted to plant a church. I wanted to teach these people. I want to see people that's changed. And he said, I saw that Mark and Jake were actually doing it. That was exciting. And he said, so I needed to get the training that they got. And so he came down here this weekend.
[1:18] He checked us out. And I just want to say thank you, a huge thank you to everyone, to Chris Fees, to a lady that helped Annie Grace, which is Austin, the gentleman that came, his wife.
[1:31] She speaks Mandarin. Someone told her of her doctor because she's pregnant. I mean, he was just overwhelmed. He's like, this church has just helped me find a job, helped me find a doctor for my wife.
[1:42] He says, I'm just overwhelmed by what this church is doing for me. So that's a testimony to you guys. So I just want to thank you guys for that. Thank you for that. Thank you for that. Thank you for loving people. Thank you for helping people. Thank you for helping people that are going to go to the mission field, Lord willing, and God will see them used in starting a church too.
[1:57] So if you have your Bibles, I'm going to jump into the sermon. 1 Samuel chapter 3. We're just going to read this entire chapter, all right? So hold on.
[2:08] Okay. And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days. There was no open vision. There was no prophecy. There was not a lot of open revelation of God's word during that time.
[2:21] And it came to pass at that time when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim that he could not see. And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
[2:34] And Samuel was laid down. And the Lord, let me circle this word every time you hear it, called Samuel. And he answered, Here am I.
[2:47] And he ran to Eli and said, Here am I, for thou calledest me. And he said, I called not. Lie down. And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again Samuel.
[3:01] And Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me. And Eli answered. He said, I called not. My son, lie down again.
[3:13] Verse 7. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord. Neither was the word of the Lord revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time.
[3:30] And he arose and went to Eli and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go lie down.
[3:42] And it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and laid down in his place.
[3:55] And the Lord came and stood and called, as at the other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answers, Speak, for thy servant heareth.
[4:08] And the Lord said unto Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle. And in that day I will perform against Eli all the things which I have spoken concerning his house.
[4:24] When I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth. Because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
[4:38] Therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice, nor offering forever. And Samuel laid down into the morning and opened the doors of the house of the Lord.
[4:53] And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. I would be scared too. I mean, just heard something like that. And Eli, then Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel, my son. And he answers, Hear, my. And he said, What is the thing that the Lord has said unto thee?
[5:07] I pray thee, hide it not from me. God, do so to thee. And more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he said unto thee. And Samuel told him every wit and hid nothing from him.
[5:22] And he said, It is the Lord. Let him do what seemeth good. That's pretty astounding for a child. Let's just say that. Say something like that. And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did not let none of his words fall to the ground.
[5:37] And all of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh, and for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
[5:54] In chapter 4, verses 1. And the word of Samuel came unto Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle and pitched beside Ebenezer.
[6:05] And the Philistines pitched in Aphek. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Lord, thank you for your word. Lord, thank you for calling children. Lord, thank you for calling them to salvation.
[6:17] Thank you for calling them to service. Lord, help us to be better equipped to know what to do. Lord, I ask that you would just reveal this chapter to us. Help us to be better parents. Help us to be better grandparents.
[6:28] Lord, help us to be better children's minister. Help us to be better church members, nursery workers, whatever. Lord, help us to realize what you are doing and what you've done in the past. And we'll give you all the glory. In Jesus' name, amen. I see several lessons from this chapter.
[6:40] And the first thing that I see is that Samuel was serving God before he knew God. Did you get that? Samuel was serving God before he knew God. Isn't that a crazy thought for me?
[6:53] You see, what happens was it started back when Hannah was begging God for a child. You guys remember in the chapter 1 of 1 Samuel where Hannah wept before the Lord and Eli went up to her and he asked her and he said, How long are you intending to be drunk in God's house?
[7:09] When are you going to put away the wine? And you remember Hannah's response in 1 Samuel 1, verses 15. He says, she said, not he, she said, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not drunk wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.
[7:23] And so she went on to tell Eli about all the grief that she had. And then Eli told her in 1 Samuel 1, verse 17, he says, Go in peace, woman, go in peace. And the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
[7:37] It was during that time when Hannah went to the temple of the Lord that she had vowed a vow with the Lord. She had vowed a vow. I remember when I was younger and I used to hunt.
[7:47] Anybody here ever hunt? Anybody here got any hunters here? There's a couple people. Okay, okay. Some of you guys know what I'm talking about. So anyways, I grew up in Ohio, so it was a little colder up there. And so I would go out hunting with my father and my brother and a couple other guys, and we'd have a good old time.
[8:01] And we'd go out there, and it would be like right around like the end of November, December time. And I'd be sitting out there in the woods, and man, I would be freezing. I would be cold. It was so cold during that time, especially in Ohio.
[8:12] And I wasn't used to that, you know what I mean? I was in school, so I liked the warm weather inside the furnace and stuff like that. But it was so cold up there. And I remember I'd be sitting down on a log or a tree stand or wherever it was, and I'd be saying, God, if you just give me a deer, God, please give me a deer.
[8:27] I will go anywhere you want. I will do anything you want. I promise, God. I promise. I just wanted to get out there. I was so cold. I had a great time with my dad and my brother, but I was just ready to get out there. You guys ever make those promises?
[8:38] You know what I mean? God, if you just do this one thing for me, then I'll do this. Well, that's not the vow that Hannah made right here. She made a vow, and she had all intentions to keeping it.
[8:52] You know, Brother Garner already said this, but it's got to take a lot of fortitude to go and take your only son that you have and go to the house of the Lord and drop him off.
[9:06] In 1 Samuel 1, verse 24 through 28, the Bible says this, When she had weaned him, she took him up with her with three bullocks and one ephaph of flour and a bottle of wine.
[9:23] She brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh, and the child was young. In verse 25, they slew the bullocks, and they brought the child of Eli, and she said, Oh, my Lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am a woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.
[9:43] For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition, which I asked of him. Therefore also I lent him to the Lord.
[9:54] As long as he liveth, he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped, and she worshipped the Lord there. You see, at an early age, Samuel was given to the Lord to serve him.
[10:09] And he was serving the Lord, get this, before he knew the Lord. He was serving the Lord before he knew the Lord. Hannah knew what it meant to give your child to the Lord.
[10:20] And Samuel was in an environment where his sole existence and his sole purpose was this. But I was born to serve the Lord.
[10:31] What an incredible thought. What an incredible way to train your child and teach your child or children. And all in a day where we ask children, we ask this question, Hey, Charlotte.
[10:43] Hey, Annie. Hey, Luther. Hey, Adam. What do you guys want to do with your life? What is it that you want to do with your life? When you grow up, what is it that you want to be? If you would have asked that question to Samuel, he would say, Well, it doesn't really matter what I want.
[10:57] It really matters what my parents already did. And I was born, you see, to serve the Lord. You see, at an early age, it was ingrained in his head and his heart that this, I was born to serve the Lord.
[11:09] And he knew that long before he knew the Lord. Do you get that? Do you get that? What an incredible way. I wonder what would happen with our children and with the children's church and just this church and all.
[11:25] If we just taught every young kid, it really doesn't matter what you want to do. You see, you were born to serve the Lord. Isn't that true? Isn't that true for all of us?
[11:35] It doesn't really matter what occupation we have. We were born to serve the Lord. We were born to honor and glorify the Lord. Can I get an amen right there? Were we not born to serve the Lord?
[11:47] And at an early age, at an early age, it was ingrained, indoctrinated. Whatever you want to say about Samuel, Samuel knew this one thing. I was born to serve the Lord before he knew Jesus.
[12:02] Look at verse 7 of Samuel chapter 3 verse 7. What does it say in Samuel chapter 3 verse 7? Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord.
[12:12] And what happens in Samuel chapter 3 verses 1? What is he doing? And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord.
[12:26] 1 Samuel chapter 2 verse 18, the Bible says this. But Samuel ministered before the Lord being a child. He was serving God way before he knew God.
[12:40] Does God have a plan for every person in this world? Of course. Does God not desire everyone to repent and trust in him? Of course. We all know this. God does have a plan for every person and every child.
[12:53] So why not? Why not tell your children, your child, that the Lord has a great plan for their life? Why not whenever you're in the nursery, you tell and you whisper in these little kids' ears.
[13:05] Why not when you're in the nursery when it's like the little toddler section where they're running around. Just say, hey, hey little Billy, don't you realize that God, God put you down here on this earth for a purpose? And that purpose was to serve him.
[13:17] Why not whenever they're in children's church or that little small children's church. You say, hey guys, don't you know that God put you down here for a special purpose? And that was to serve the Lord. Why not whenever they go up to the bigger children's church? You just say the same thing.
[13:28] And they go to the teen group. And then maybe once they get to that point where they're like, okay, what am I supposed to do with my life? They already realize, okay, I just need to serve God. You see, Samuel, long before he knew the Lord, he was serving him.
[13:42] Long before that. Why not get your children and your grandchildren? Why not adopt some kids? I'm not saying adopt literally, but just take some kids around here. There's tons of kids around here that if you were...
[13:54] I went on visitation, Cannon, or Cason. I'm sorry, Cason. I'm so sorry. You're not Cannon. You're Cason. Cason, Cason, Cason. Cason and I went on visitation yesterday. We were trying to start another location for the bus route.
[14:04] And, man, we were listening to these kids and we were trying to get them to come to church. And, man, if you just hear some of the stories that go on. One little kid said... He was just talking to his brother and he said, Remember when the borracho was strangling the woman?
[14:18] And I don't know Spanish that well, but I remember borracho means the drunkard. And he was just recounting some of the crazy stuff that he saw.
[14:30] Can I tell you, the reason why that kid's here on earth is to serve God? And can I tell you he's not hearing it at home? And can I tell you, we, the church, need to be whispering, yelling, telling in these kids' ears, Hey, you were born for a special purpose.
[14:47] You were born to serve the Lord. It doesn't matter what you want to do. You were born to serve the Lord. You were born to honor the Lord. That's your job, to be born to serve and honor the Lord. Not just tell them that, but give them opportunities where they can serve and do something for God.
[15:01] It doesn't matter if they know Jesus right now. We need to tell them that they were born for Jesus. They were born to serve Him. That's what we need to do. Samuel ministered unto the Lord and he didn't even know Him.
[15:13] Samuel was ignorant. In verse 7, when it says, Samuel did not know the Lord of chapter 3, you know what that happened? You know who else was ignorant and who else didn't know the Lord?
[15:25] It was like Pharaoh in Exodus chapter 5 verses 2. He says the same thing. He says, I don't know the Lord. Why should I serve Him? I didn't know Him. It was like when Jeremiah, when he was talking about the children of Israel that's turned their way against God.
[15:39] They didn't know the Lord. That's the same thing with Samuel. He was ignorant of God, but yet he still served Him. What an incredible lesson. What an incredible task that we as a church have to do.
[15:53] Why not get every kid, whether they're 4 years old or even younger, to 12, 18, 17, whatever you think's a kid.
[16:03] 22, 29, I don't know how old people are in here. Whatever you think still is a kid. Why not get a place, a position where they can go out and they can start serving Jesus? Because maybe, just maybe, they might start believing what you're telling them, that they were born to serve the Lord.
[16:17] You see, that happened in Samuel's life. His mother gave him over to the Lord. She had a promise. She was begging God for him. He gave her the child. She gave him to the Lord. And he served the Lord even before he knew the Lord. Samuel served the Lord before he knew Him.
[16:29] And it was while Samuel was serving the Lord as a child, that's when God called him. Look in verse 2. And it came to pass, well, it came to pass at that time, when Samuel was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, and he could not see, or Eli's laid down, he couldn't see, and his eyes were waxed dim.
[16:51] And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, And Samuel was laid down to sleep, that the Lord called Samuel. You realize, 11 times in this chapter, there's the word called over and over and over and over again?
[17:07] 11 times in this paragraph. It is no doubt that the theme of this chapter right here is God's calling a child. In 1 Samuel 3, verses 1, the Bible says this, And the child, Samuel.
[17:24] That's who Samuel was. He was a child. And 11 times in this chapter, he uses the word called. Called. Calleth. Calledest. God was calling a child.
[17:35] He was calling a child. God was calling Samuel to him. I know what you might be thinking. Samuel is just a child. Children don't get called until they're much older. Or until they can actually do something.
[17:47] Well, if that's your thought process, you're completely and totally wrong. See, God is in a business of calling young children. I believe a problem that we have in this day and age is that we don't want our children, and this is me too, okay?
[18:02] We don't want our children to be manipulated into making a decision, right? We don't want to manipulate a child into making a decision. So we almost go to the opposite extreme, right?
[18:13] We realize when we were younger, we made a confession. Like, yeah, when I was four years old, I believed on Jesus, but I doubted my salvation. So I don't want my kids to go through the same thing. So I'm not going to say anything at all to them. We go to the exact opposite.
[18:25] But can I tell you right here in this passage, God is calling a child. God's calling a child. 11 times in this chapter, God's calling a child. A child that's already serving him.
[18:35] A child that knows that he was born to serve the Lord. God's calling a child. We have to have this mindset that we must wait. Sometimes, I'm not going to say we.
[18:48] I'll just say me, okay? I don't want to put you guys on an indictment, okay? I have this mindset that I must wait until they're much older. I've got to wait until Charlotte and Annie are much older. But can I remind you the words that Jesus gives us in Matthew 19, verse 14?
[19:02] This is what Jesus says. In Matthew 19, verse 14, Jesus said this. Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me.
[19:13] For such is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is in the business of calling young children.
[19:24] And especially, especially in the life of Samuel, it is indisputable, undisputable. You can't deny the fact that God was calling a child in this chapter.
[19:35] God was calling a child. And for those of you that think that children have no part in serving the Lord, Samuel was already doing it. He was already serving the Lord long before he knew him.
[19:49] We must understand that there is a place for children in serving the Lord. And we've got to put our kids in there. We've got to put our kids, our grandkids, the kids we have in this church, we've got to get them serving, guys.
[20:04] This is no joke. This is, we'll go later on. But you realize we're just one generation from everything turning dark. Austin Gardner is not getting any younger, if you haven't noticed.
[20:18] I came here when he had black hair. Now he has white hair. I noticed at the stages it was black and then it was speckled and then it was all of a sudden white. I'm like, oh my goodness, this guy's getting old. Right?
[20:28] I shouldn't say that. He's not here. Forgive me, Lord. I hope he's not watching. But anyways, he's not getting any older. No, any younger. He's getting older. We've got to get extra. We've got to get some people called up into this ministry.
[20:41] We've got to get some young blood in this. We've got to get the next generation. Does that make sense? God's calling kids. We must understand that there's a place.
[20:51] We mustn't hold our kids back in serving the Lord. Samuel was young, was at a young age. And he was called by God for a special, special job.
[21:03] First lesson was this. Samuel was serving God before he knew God. Second one was this. Samuel was called by God while he was serving God.
[21:15] It was during this call that Samuel didn't know God personally. And he didn't know the voice of the Lord. Here we have it in verse 7. He says, And now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord revealed unto him.
[21:27] Here we have a young child who is being called by God, by the Lord. And he had honestly no clue what was going on. This whole time he was thinking it was Eli calling him.
[21:37] You guys have heard this story, right? He was laying down there and he walks up and he says, Here I am. What do you want with me? He didn't say it like that. There's a lot more respect back then. He says, Here I am. What do you want, Eli? And so Eli said, Why don't you go lay back down?
[21:48] I didn't call you. And so God calls him again the second time. And he comes up to him and says, Here I am. What do you need? And he says, No, go back to bed. I'm not calling you. And the third time he goes, What do you want, Eli? Here I am. And Eli perceived something.
[22:00] He understood something. There was confusion that was going on in Samuel. And he needed a little help. And obviously the confusion, He had an obvious confusion. He was going to Eli. So I'd like to highlight what Eli does or doesn't do.
[22:15] Instead of saying, Hey little fellow, It's just a dream that you dreamed. Go lie down. Or instead of saying to the little child, It's just your childish imagination. Go lie down.
[22:26] Or instead of saying, You're just emotionally upset right now. Some preacher or teacher has been talking to you And you're just too young to understand. Go lie down. Instead of saying, When old, Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.
[22:41] And Eli said unto Samuel, If he calls you again, This is what you do. You see what Eli didn't do? He didn't say, You're just too young. You don't understand.
[22:52] You're dreaming this. You're making this up. Whatever. This has been a huge help to me. Because I don't know. When do you tell your kids about, I know when you tell the kids about the gospel, You always tell the kids about the gospel.
[23:02] But when do you allow them to accept? Do they have to have this full understanding or what? And this verse right here says this. When God actually calls a child, And he's calling them.
[23:13] And Eli, Instead of holding him back, Or instead of saying, This is just some dream. Or instead of saying, Hey, you're just messed up. You're just being emotionally manipulated here.
[23:24] He says, This is what you do if you know that it's the Lord. He helps the young lad. He aids him. He mentors him. Eli aids the young man in becoming the next prophet of God.
[23:35] I think I need to say this to our parents and grandparents of this church. There's a belief that runs around certain circles of Christianity. Today and in the past.
[23:46] And this belief might say that a children can't make a decision to follow God in salvation. Or maybe can't get baptized until a certain age. Or they can't become a member of a church until they're a certain age.
[23:59] Or they can't decide what path they might want for their future. Can I tell you that that isn't the case? That isn't Bible? God is in the process of calling young boys and young girls and children alike.
[24:15] If your child comes to you saying, God is at work in my heart, Don't discourage them. Don't discourage them.
[24:27] Tell them how the Lord works. He works through His word. God called the child Samuel. And I have no doubt that He's calling children from this church too.
[24:43] And the third thing we see from this passage is this. We see the ministry that God is calling Samuel to. In verse 11, It goes down to chapter 4, verses 1.
[24:56] You realize, In 1 Samuel chapter 3, verses 1, There was no, The word of God was precious. It wasn't like open. We didn't, They didn't have the Bible.
[25:06] That's what it means. It didn't have the Bible. Like we do. There wasn't like a prophet there at that time. Just going on. There was some prophecy, But there wasn't a prophet. The word of, What did he say in chapter 3, verses 1?
[25:19] And the word of the Lord was precious in those days. There was no open vision. There was no open revelation. There was no prophet telling what God was doing. There was nobody out there saying, Hey, Hey, God's going to do this.
[25:33] God's going to do that. And in this chapter, God actually calls a prophet. God calls a prophet. And everyone recognizes it. And guess how old this guy was? He was a child.
[25:45] He was a child. God calls a prophet. And he gives them this hard, hard message. He gives them a hard, hard message. Notice the difference. At the beginning of the chapter, And now, At the end of the chapter, In the beginning, There was no open vision.
[26:01] God's word was precious. There was little to no open revelation. The Bible says there was no open revelation. Now we see that God has revealed himself. And he was going to do that to a child. You see, The current generation, Eli's generation, And Eli's son's generation, They weren't doing so well.
[26:19] And when God came to call a prophet, He called a little boy. And his name was Samuel. A man who God will greatly use To set up a king over God's people.
[26:36] Israel has gone from not hearing from God To now hearing from God Through the prophet boy, Samuel. I think that's the most unusual thing I've ever heard.
[26:48] God calling a child, And the task that he gives is no easy task. And it started from the beginning. You heard the story that God told Samuel?
[27:02] In chapter, In verses 11 through, Was it down to 17? God was telling Samuel, Hey, I'm rejecting Eli. There is no sacrifice out there.
[27:13] There's no offering that he's going to do. I'm going to, His household is gone. They're done serving me. I'm going to use you. Could you imagine a child hearing that story?
[27:24] No wonder he went to bed. Could you understand? Like, Him laying down there like, Oh my goodness, Look at this message I got. I can't tell this to Eli. And the Bible says he actually was afraid. And the morning he woke up, And he opened the door, And he was doing his ministry to the Lord.
[27:37] He already knew what he was supposed to do. He was out there serving the Lord. And he was out there, And he was afraid. And Eli said, Hey, What did God say to you? And Samuel's like, I don't know if I should tell you.
[27:48] And Eli's like, Hey, Listen up, son. If you don't tell me, Man, God's going to do something worse unto you. You've got to tell me everything. Don't leave anything out. And Samuel went out there, And he told him, Well, Let me tell you what the Lord said.
[28:01] You're done. And your sons are done. And he's Lord. Let's just leave it at that. So whatever he says, Let's just leave it at that. God called a child. God called a child.
[28:14] Now the time's come for Eli, For his ministry to end. And just like everyone before Eli, And just like everyone after him, It was time for him to pass the torch. In that message that God gave Samuel, It was like this.
[28:30] Eli, Your job's done. Your kids aren't going to, You're not going to serve me. I've got a job for Samuel. You know, There's a plaque In Westminster Abbey That's dedicated to John Wesley.
[28:43] And the saying on this plaque, On one of the plaques, Says this. God Buries his workmen, But carries on his work.
[28:53] Through generation, Then somebody else must be raised, And somebody else must be called. Somebody else must not be Consecrated and set aside. Somebody else must be ordained.
[29:05] Somebody else must carry on God's work. And that was true for Eli. It was time for him to step aside. It was time now, For the boy prophet, Samuel, To be called into service.
[29:16] And that's true here and now. Now, The saying is true, That we're only one generation away From the darkness of paganism. We have to have the next generation Be called up Into service of God.
[29:33] And believe that God, Who was the God back in Samuel's time, Is still the same God today. In this day and age. Can I tell you, God's still calling Young boys and young girls Into service.
[29:46] There is a God That is calling children to be saved. There is a God That's calling children for a service. Samuel was busy serving the Lord Long, long before He knew the Lord.
[29:57] And Samuel was called Of God at an early age. And Samuel Was given a job And a position While he was still a child.
[30:10] And that's the story of this chapter. God Calls A child To do his work. I don't understand it.
[30:21] I really don't. So some things That we can take away From this chapter. Parents Know that your child Was made to honor And serve the Lord.
[30:35] Grandparents Know that your grandkids Were made to honor And serve the Lord. Sunday school teachers Nurseries Preachers Missionaries Know that the teachers Know that the children That you work with And that you minister to They were created They are created To honor and serve the Lord.
[30:53] Everyone else Know this You were created To serve God. Know that Know that deep down In your heart And then parents Grandparents Aunts Uncles Friends Nursery workers Sunday school teachers Pastors Missionaries And everyone else That I forget So I get everybody In there.
[31:11] After you realize that And you know it Then get the kids Involved in serving The Lord. You understand that? When did God Call Samuel?
[31:26] It's while he was serving. I know that there might Be a hang up Where some of you Saying well my kid Isn't a believer And they can't serve the Lord Can I remind you What we just read? Samuel knew not the Lord But he was still Ministering unto him.
[31:42] Your kid has a better Chance of knowing The Lord When the truth Your kid Has a better chance Of knowing the Lord When the truth of You've been created To serve the Lord Is being spoken Into their ears And then they're Actually seeing them Serving God In their actions.
[31:58] Did you get that? It's not enough For you to speak it Into their ears. You've got to get them Involved in doing it. That's why it's so important To get involved in church.
[32:10] This is not just A country club setting Where we just sit around And we get to talk The pastor gets to talk At you And sometimes We get to sing And stuff like that. That's not why we're here.
[32:21] That's not why God Set up his church. He wants you to take you And everyone here And he wants you To get involved In serving him. And then Moms, dads, grandmas, Grandpas, aunts, uncles, Sunday school teachers, Anyone else, Everyone else.
[32:39] He wants you to take Of the next generation, The younger generation And say, Hey, come along with me. We're going to go visit. Hey, come along. We're going to go Clean the house of the Lord. Hey, we're going to go Serve Jesus.
[32:50] Because that's what We're made to do. And that's what we need To be doing With the next generation. You want to know How Samuel got Called to the ministry? Before he knew the Lord, He was serving the Lord.
[33:02] And he was called To the Lord While he was serving The Lord. Secondly, Get your kids involved. First, get your kids involved. Know that God Has made them To serve them And honor them.
[33:14] Second thing is this. Know that God Is calling children To salvation and service. Don't hold them back. Be like Eli. Help them understand And help them aid them In their service To the Lord.
[33:30] Thirdly, I hope And I pray that you're Praying that I hope And I hope And I hope That you're praying this That God would call Your children Or your child Into serving him Wherever God wants.
[33:45] You realize We are just one generation Away from darkness. And we need Young boys And young girls To be called out Of this church To serve our Lord No matter where it is.
[33:59] I'll close with this quote By a famous preacher And what he said To his congregation. This is what he said To his congregation. He said, I repeated You've heard it A thousand times In this church. A mark Of the favor And spirit of God Upon a church Is this.
[34:16] From time to time God will say Separate to me For the gospel And ministry. Separate to me For the ambassadorship Across the sea This child And that child.
[34:29] That they might be My prophets And my representatives And my spokesmen In this earth. And almost always Almost always That comes In the days Of the tender Young childhood.
[34:47] He's saying The mark Of a true church Is when God Starts calling people To take his gospel message And take it Not just only Around here But around the world.
[35:00] And most of the time That happens At a young Early age. Let that be true Of this church too. In Samuel Chapter 3 First Samuel Chapter 3 God Calls A child And he does Some great works With them.
[35:21] Today Could we pray And beg And ask God That he would Call our children Into his service And do something Great For his honor And his glory And if we could Just have a small part We could say Yeah I was there At the temple Crying And asking God For a child And he gave me one And he's now Serving the Lord And he's a prophet And all Israel Knows him This message Was recorded At Vision Baptist Church In Alfred, Georgia For more information Log on to www.visionbaptist.com Where you can find Our service times Location Contact information And more audio And video recordings Asc
[36:31] Captain Pacana In Six In Bridge