Let's begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 119
in the Scottish Psalter version, page 407. We're going to sing from verse 89 to 96,
the section of the psalm. Psalm 119 at verse 89, page 407. As we sing from this psalm,
we're often reminded as we were, we sang from it this morning. We're reminded of God's word,
how it stands and endures forever, and how God's word ministers to us. The word, thy word forever
is, O Lord, in heaven, settle fast, and to all generations thy faithfulness doth last. The
earth thou hast established, and it abides by thee. This day they stand as thou ordainst,
for all thy servants be. We'll sing this section, 89 to 96, the tune is,
Evan, and we sing to God's praise.
Amen.
...
Oh
CHOIR SINGS
But I might just take only to consider with joy.
Amen, no overation, here I sing, O Lord.
But I must pour my heart, amen, it is a seeing road.
Let's come to God in prayer.
Let us pray.
Amen.
And we thank you, O Lord.
There is nothing that can change it, nothing can take away from it, nothing can add to it,
for it is your word complete and finished.
We thank you that it is a word that directs us and teaches us.
We thank you for all that it's done to instruct us in all our lives.
Whether we have been listening or not, we thank you to have been, many of us, under your word for many years.
And knowing the blessings of it, knowing the real privilege it is to have it.
For the more we see our world now and the turmoil that exists all around us,
we see the rejection of your word and what that causes, what it brings upon us.
It brings that sense of judgment, that sense of rebuking from you.
And yet we thank you that your word is still a word that speaks to us.
And reminds us that we are to come, to come to you in order to know a blessing once again.
And so as we turn to your word this evening, we pray that as we read from it and as we study it together,
remind us of the power of your word.
It is a power that gives light to the world in which we live.
And even at times when the light almost seems to have gone out,
we thank you that there are so many promises in your word that continue to uphold us and to strengthen us.
For you remind us that your word will endure forever.
And that your word is fulfilled in you sending your own son, the word that became flesh and dwelt among us.
And we marvel at that, Lord, that you continue to remember us,
even despite our sin, despite our rejection of you so often,
that you remember us, that you have remembered many of us individually.
You have called us by name.
You have called us to yourself.
We thank you that you remember us collectively as a church, as a congregation here,
that you are faithful to us,
that you are the God who blesses and blesses in abundance.
We thank you that you are the God who reminds us,
that you are working in our midst,
that you are speaking to people,
that you are calling our people to yourself.
And help us, Lord, to be your witnesses here.
Help us to speak a word in season,
to remind ourselves of the precious truth that we have in your word,
that Jesus Christ is a Savior for this world that is perishing,
and that there is eternal life to be found in him.
And so we thank you for that precious truth that we have,
a truth that may bring rejection to us as a people,
may bring mockery, may bring persecution,
but yet a truth, O Lord, that we hold dear to,
for there is nothing in this world that compares to knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord.
And so help us, Lord, as we are your people here,
to hold fast to your truth,
to hear your voice through it,
instructing us, building us up,
challenging us and rebuking us as that is required,
but all the time building us up in the faith.
And we pray for those who are maybe hearing your voice calling,
but not understanding it,
that they would have understanding,
have understanding of the one who is speaking,
the one who is calling,
the one who is saying,
come to me and I will give you rest.
We know, Lord, that even as your word goes out,
whether it's here or far and wide,
there are so many who are deaf,
who do not listen,
who do not want to listen to your word.
But we thank you that we are reminded
that you have a power with you,
the Holy Spirit,
the one that you have poured out into this world,
the one who brings us to yourself,
the one who this evening throughout this place
and all places where your word goes out
is ministering in a powerful way.
And we pray, Lord,
for the Spirit,
the Holy Spirit,
to open ears,
to hear the word of God.
And so we do pray, Lord,
that you will bless
all the proclamation of your word today,
the ministry of it,
near and far,
to all ends of the earth.
We thank you
that your word goes out far and wide.
And we do thank you too, Lord,
that your word reminds us of
the privilege of prayer,
the privilege of coming to you in that way,
calling upon your name,
coming just with the words of our hearts
and pouring out our hearts to you.
We thank you that as we are gathered here just now
that you hear every prayer offered up,
even the groanings of our hearts are not,
they're all known unto you.
And we thank you
that nothing is hidden from you in that way.
And even before we open our mouths,
Lord, you know the words that we will speak.
And so we come to you this night anew.
We come thankful,
thankful that you hear us
and that you listen to us,
that you answer our prayers.
And we pray, Lord,
that you will help us to pray in that way
that your will would be done.
We so often come thinking
we know the answer to all our problems,
that we know what we need
and how things should be done.
But your answer is maybe so often different
to what we might have wanted.
or what we might have expected.
The answers are not always easy for us.
But we thank you that your ways are greater than ours,
that your understanding of our needs
is so much more
than even we think we know ourselves.
And so, Lord,
guide us in our prayers
to ask what is right
according to your grace
and to your mercy.
And we do pray for one another, Lord.
We thank you
that that is a great privilege we enjoy,
to be able to remember one another
in all our different needs.
We thank you that we can remember
those unable to be with us
for a great many reasons.
We thank you that
you are with people near and far
who are going through difficulties
and trials of different kinds.
We thank you that we can commit them
to you in prayer,
knowing that you are near to them,
knowing that they can call upon you
themselves as well.
And even if they feel unable,
that there are many people
praying for them,
those who are unwell,
those who are confined to their homes,
those who are struggling
in different ways.
Oh, Lord,
you know each one of us
and we thank you that
together,
as we offer up our prayers,
that we can
commit them to you.
And we do know, Lord,
the struggles in this world
are so many.
We are such a fragile people.
We are so easily tempted
and let us stray.
We are weak in ourselves
in so many ways.
But we thank you
that you are able to give strength.
And we pray, Lord,
for those who feel
a particular weakness just now,
for you to be their strength
and their help.
We remember your world as well,
oh Lord.
We pray for our nation
at this time.
We pray, Lord,
for those who govern us
and rule over us
in different ways.
Remember our royal family.
We continue to pray for them,
for our king,
as he continues to go
through treatment at this time.
Lord,
may your hand be upon him
for good.
may you restore him in health
and be with his family
at this time too
in all their different needs.
Lord,
give them your wisdom.
Give them your strength.
Give them your presence,
oh Lord,
to know
that they are but
feeble in themselves,
but that you are a God
who is full of mercy.
Lord,
watch over them,
watch over our prime minister
and first minister
and the governments.
We pray,
Lord,
for wisdom and guidance
in these days.
We know,
Lord,
that our world
is just in such dire straits
at this time
with so much grief
and anguish
all around us,
so much fear
and worry.
Lord,
we pray,
have mercy upon us
and come in your power,
Lord.
Revive us,
restore us,
we pray.
Hear your praying people
throughout the world,
Lord,
those who are persecuted
for their faith,
those who are
in many parts
of the world
unknown by many
and heard of by many
and yet known unto you,
Lord.
We pray for your mercy
and your grace upon us.
We pray,
Lord,
for ourselves
as a people here
in the week ahead.
Go before us in it,
Lord,
lead us,
encourage us
and strengthen us
day by day.
Pray for our fellowship
this evening
and thank you for Donnie
who will be with us.
We thank you for his life
and testimony
of your grace
to him
and through him
to many others as well.
We pray for him
and his family,
Lord,
bless him
and be with him.
Use him even this evening
as he comes
to minister to us,
to encourage us
and to build us up.
May you bless him
and be with him in that.
So go before us,
Lord,
in all things
as we commit ourselves
into your hands now,
as we open up your word
and your truth,
as we sing your praise,
may we do all
for your glory
as we thank you
for all your precious gifts
to us.
May we be ever thankful
and ever praise your name.
And we ask all,
acknowledging all our sin
as we fall short so often,
Lord,
have mercy we pray,
cleanse us anew
and we ask all these things
in Jesus' precious name.
Amen.
We can sing again
to God's praise
this time in Psalm 138
in the Singed Psalms version,
page 179.
Psalm 138.
We'll sing from verse 1
to verse 6,
page 179.
The tune is Rockingham.
I'll praise you, Lord,
with all my heart
before you,
the gods.
I'll sing your praise.
I'll bow towards
your holy place
and bless your holy name
always.
We'll sing from verse 1
to 6
to God's praise.
Amen.
I'll praise you, Lord,
with all my heart
Before the Lord and Savior's place
I vow to watch your holy place
And bless your holy name away
I wish you for your faithfulness
And for your God and love, O Lord
For over all things you have raised
Your holy name and faithful word
The very day I call to hear
You give an answer to my need
You lead me whole within myself
With beauty so you strengthen me
O Lord let all that kings embrace
When from your love they hear your word
Let there may stone the ways of God
Are raised and lowly of the Lord
Although the Lord God dwells on high
The holy person he protects
Where else the blood that Lord be upon
He knows the heart of the hand he cares
We're going to read together in the Old Testament
And in 1 Samuel
1 Samuel chapter 3
You'll find this around page 274
Of the church Bibles
1 Samuel chapter 3
And we can read the whole of this chapter
Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord
Under Eli
And the word of the Lord was rare in those days
There was no frequent vision
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim
So that he could not see
Was lying down in his own place
The lamp of God had not yet gone out
And Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord
Where the ark of God was
Then the Lord called Samuel
And he said, Here I am
And ran to Eli and said, Here I am
For you called me
But he said, I did not call
Lie down again
So he went and lay down
And the Lord called again
Samuel
And Samuel arose
And went to Eli
And said, Here I am
For you called me
But he said, I did not call you
My son, lie down again
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord
And the word of the Lord
Had not yet been revealed to him
And the Lord called Samuel again
The third time
And he arose and went to Eli
And said, Here I am
For you called me
Then Eli perceived
That the Lord was calling the young man
Therefore Eli said to Samuel
Go, lie down
And if he calls you
You shall say
Speak, Lord
For your servant hears
So Samuel went
And lay down in his place
The Lord came and stood calling
As at other times
Samuel, Samuel
And Samuel said
Speak
For your servant hears
Then the Lord said to Samuel
Behold, I am about to do
A thing in Israel
At which the two ears
Of everyone who hears
It will tingle
On that day
I will fulfill against Eli
All that I have spoken
Concerning his house
From beginning to end
And I declare to him
And I declare to him that I am about
To punish his house forever
For the iniquity that he knew
Because his sons were blaspheming God
And he did not restrain them
Therefore I swear to the house of Eli
That the iniquity of Eli's house
Shall not be atoned for
By sacrifice or offering forever
Samuel lay until morning
Then he opened the doors
Of the house of the Lord
And Samuel was afraid
To tell the vision to Eli
But Eli called Samuel
And said
Samuel, my son
And when
And he said
Here I am
And Eli said
What was it
That he told you?
Do not hide it from me
May God do so to you
And more also
If you hide anything from me
Of all that he told you
So Samuel told him everything
And hid nothing from him
And he said
It is the Lord
Let him do what seems good to him
And Samuel grew
And the Lord was with him
And let none of his words
Fall to the ground
And all Israel
From Dan to Beersheba
Knew that Samuel was established
As a prophet of the Lord
And the Lord appeared again
At Shiloh
For the Lord revealed himself
To Samuel at Shiloh
By the word of the Lord
Amen
And may God bless that reading
From his word
We'll sing again
Before we turn back
To this passage
In Psalm 130
In the Scottish Psalter
Page 421
Psalm 130
We'll sing the whole of this psalm
To thee I cry
Lord from the depths
To thee I cry
And to my supplications voice
Give an attentive ear
We'll sing the whole of this psalm
Psalm 130
To God's praise
Lord from the depths
To thee I cry
Lord from the depths
To thee I cry
Thy voice for you
Thou hear
Unto my supplications
Lord
Give an attentive ear
Lord who shall stand
If the Lord
Choose my name
For iniquity
And yet will be
For inlessness
But be here
The giving us thee
I pray for God
Lord from the preparers
On my soul
My soul
Thou hath
My soul
Thou hath
My own
LI dec Whether
My soul
Thou hath
May
Yes
Lord
For match
For
Lord
the Lord.
I say
more than
they have
to watch
the
glory
might
to see.
Let
Israel
open
the Lord.
I
,
And from all his lilies, the Israel shall redeem.
We turn back to our reading in 1 Samuel, chapter 3.
1 Samuel, chapter 3.
We'll be looking at the whole of this chapter.
We'll just read at the beginning again at verse 1.
Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli.
And the word of the Lord was rare in those days.
There was no frequent vision.
The word of the Lord was rare in those days.
It may sound quite strange to us to read in God's word itself, to read of a time when God had blessed his people so much and been with them through so much,
as we're reading here in 1 Samuel, to read these words.
It says the word of the Lord was rare in those days.
There was no frequent vision.
Because what does it mean when something is rare or scarce?
We hear it used in so many different ways.
We hear it used quite often these days, things that are becoming more rare or scarce.
We hear it about resources that are becoming scarce.
We hear it about jewels or things that are worth a lot of money becoming more rare.
Or animals or birds become rare to be seen in different places.
There are times when we hear these words used.
And what it means is that there's something going on, as it were, behind the scenes that is causing them to become rare.
And very often it's because, in the instances of a resource, a jewel or animals,
that it's something that's very often of great value to people.
People use these resources.
They want these resources.
And they become rare because they become so popular.
Now, we're not here to speak about animal rights or anything like that.
But it's interesting when you look at some of the things that are written and said about the world in which we live.
And things are becoming scarce and rare.
One animal protection website puts it like this.
All we have to do is to do exactly what we have been doing.
We are in the middle of a major mass extinction event.
In our willful pursuit of excess, we are pushing the other species off a cliff into non-existence.
That's talking about the animal kingdom and the devastation that's being caused by our pursuit of excess.
But can we not think about how that would apply to the gospel as well?
And especially as we look at this passage together this evening, when you see this word used in verse 1,
the word of the Lord was rare in those days.
Why is it that we see it in our own day today?
Could we not say, today, the word of the Lord is rare?
Why is that?
Well, as that website said, that if we want to see animals perishing and going extinct,
what we have to do is just exactly what we have been doing.
What we see right in our own eyes, as it were, is what we see in the scriptures as well.
It's exactly what was taking place in the days of this young man Samuel and Eli,
who had been ministering in the temple with him.
Hannah, Samuel's faithful mother, who you read of at the beginning of this book,
who gave birth to Samuel in a miraculous way,
and how she devoted Samuel to the service of the Lord.
There was good people, but on the whole, it was a generation that was doing what was right in their own eyes.
The word of the Lord was rare because it was being rejected and just pushed away.
In the days of the judges, the time of the judges, that's this period here.
With Samuel, we have the book of Judges just before this,
and it says in the book of Judges chapter 21, verse 25,
in those days there was no king in Israel.
And then it goes on to say,
everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
And isn't that the kind of world in which we live today?
A world where the word of God is rare.
We don't need it.
We don't want it.
We don't see how precious it is
because we just do what is right in our own eyes.
We all have our own opinions.
Friends, we all have our own ideas,
and no one can tell me how to live my life otherwise.
And especially not the word of God.
And what's the result of doing what is right in our own eyes?
What's the result?
What's the consequences?
Well, we see it time and again throughout Scripture,
and we see it in our own day as well.
The chaos that ensues.
The moral decline that comes.
The things that were once held precious
are no longer precious.
Things like the sanctity of life.
Things like looking after people all around us.
It all becomes about me.
And number one.
And the result is the word of the Lord
becomes rare.
Rarely do we hear it spoken publicly.
Rarely do we hear it mentioned
as something that is so important for us.
Rarely do we hear a call for prayer.
Rarely do we hear the word of God.
And for it to become rare
is to keep doing as we are doing.
Doing exactly what we think is right
in our own eyes.
But sometimes we need change.
And today, just like in Samuel's day,
we need change.
Change in the sense of
not pushing God's word away,
but actually coming to listen
to what he's saying.
The word of the Lord was rare.
But thankfully,
the word of the Lord was there.
And God was about to call
in a powerful way.
I want us to see three things
from this chapter.
Three things that we can think of
for our own day as well.
And the first is just this,
the word was rare.
The second thing is,
the word was calling.
And the third thing is,
the word was not wasted.
The word was rare.
The word was calling.
And the word was not wasted.
And that's what we see
about this young man, Samuel.
And how God used him
in the midst of everything
that was going on
to be faithful to God's word.
And to pray that we as a people
would have that courage of Samuel too,
that faithfulness of Samuel
to listen to God,
to hear God,
and to do as the Lord is asking.
So let's see first of all
how the word of the Lord was rare.
Hannah gave birth to Samuel.
But we ask,
what kind of world
did she bring Samuel into?
Well, as you read through
the book of Judges
and as you read in the early chapters
of Samuel here
and the book surrounding it,
this time period was a period
when God was being shunned
and rejected.
The amazing things that he had done
for his people
were being forgotten.
forgotten.
New leaders,
new rulers
were coming in
and the old
were being forgotten.
And with them
was all that the Lord
had done.
The ways that he had led them
out of Egypt
through the wilderness
into the promised land.
The way that he had been
with them throughout
and blessed them
in so many ways.
The warnings that he gave
to them
of not forgetting
the Lord
had become a reality.
they had started
to forget the Lord
and just,
as Judges says,
do what was right
in their own eyes.
We forget God
at our peril.
It was a time
of spiritual neglect.
It was a time
of just God's word
just being pushed away
subtly maybe at first,
gently and slowly,
but more and more
it was just getting pushed
out of society.
All of these things
were taking place
in these days
just as they are
in our own day.
God's word
just subtly
pushed out
little by little.
But what's coming in
is what's important
as well.
It's the decline
in society.
The way people
are treated.
You see it with
Eli the priest here
who had two sons,
Hophni and Phinehas.
They were turned away
from God
and just doing everything
immoral in life.
And Eli was not
saying anything
to them.
It's almost as you look
at Eli's life,
he's old now,
he's become blind
as we've read here
and he's just
so discouraged
by what he's seeing.
It's almost like
he's lost heart,
he's lost hope.
And as we'll see later,
what comes from God's word
almost doesn't surprise him.
But this is the kind
of society
that they were living in
just decline
all around them.
There were no
great preachers,
there were no
great prophets.
So that as we see
God calling Samuel
in this chapter,
it's a time when
God hasn't really spoken.
The word of the Lord
was rare,
it says in verse 1,
and there was no
frequent vision.
God had left them
to their own devices.
God had just given them
over to their own
heart's desire
at this point.
What kind of world
had Hannah brought
Samuel into?
A very similar world
to the one in which
we live in ourselves.
but that challenges
us to ask a question.
What kind of world
do we want to leave
for our children?
Or our grandchildren?
Or great-grandchildren?
What kind of world
do we want them
to have?
Not just
in an environmental
sense,
as we see
so much being said
of today,
but when it comes
to the word
of God.
Because it's often
asked in the terms
of the greed
of mankind.
What kind of world
are we leaving
our children
and our grandchildren?
How we're destroying
so much
of this world
through greed
and how the climate
is changing
and all of these
things that come
to the fore.
But the word
of the Lord
is rare.
it's not being
heard in the sense
of what are we
leaving for our
grandchildren?
So what needs
to change?
Just this week
there was
the world's
richest people
list produced.
Elon Musk
had been
at the top
number one
position for some
time now,
but he's moved
down to number
two.
He's been replaced
by Jeff Bezos
as the director,
the main man
in Amazon
as the world's
richest person.
And you look
at the value
of these people
and it just
fills you
with a sense
of horror.
200 billion
dollars,
Jeff Bezos.
198 billion
dollars,
Elon Musk.
These figures
are just
crazy.
and you think
to yourself,
what needs
to change
in our
world
is that the
rich don't
just continue
getting richer,
but that this
is somehow
shared throughout
our world,
that there is
the need
recognized all
around us
and that people
are taken care
of.
We see that
as something
that would need
to change.
change.
But what about
the sense of
the word of
God being rare?
What needs
to change
for that?
Well, again,
it's a heart
change.
It's not about
giving away
all our possessions
in that sense,
but recognizing
what is precious
and what is
important.
There was an
old Christian
man who knew
he didn't have
long to live
and he wanted
to put everything
in order before
he would pass
away.
And he came
to the point
where he was
able to say,
I've now dealt
with everything
that I own.
All my property
is to be shared
out through
the family.
But he said,
there's one more
thing I wish
I could give
them,
and that is
faith in
Jesus Christ.
Everything that
he had,
his greatest
desire was
that he could
give his
children faith
in Jesus Christ.
Faith in the
Christ that he
knew himself.
And he said,
if they had
that,
and I had not
given them a
single penny,
they would have
been rich.
And if they
had not that,
and I had given
them all the
wealth in the
world,
they would be
poor indeed.
Our hearts
need to
change.
The word of
the Lord was
rare in
Samuel's day.
It needed a
change of
heart among
the people.
And in our
day, it
needs a change
of heart as
well.
To see what
is precious,
to see what
is important.
We can
mourn the
lack of the
word in
people's lives
or in public
places today.
And we
should.
We mourn
over it.
But we can
also make the
most of the
opportunities that
we have.
We have the
word of God.
And when you
look at verse
three here,
although the
word of the
Lord was
rare, in
verse three it
says, the
lamp of God
had not yet
gone out.
God had
not removed
the lamp
stand from
their midst.
Something you
see reflected
in the book
of Revelation
as it speaks
to the
churches there.
The lamp
stand being
removed.
It's like God
taking everything
away from us.
But here we
read, the
lamp of God
had not yet
gone out.
And praise
God today,
the lamp of
God has
not gone
out.
light.
The word
of the
Lord is
rare, but
there is
still that
light.
When you
look at the
church down
through the
generations, you
think of the
New Testament
and the
book of
Romans.
It's so
similar to
this time
of Samuel.
Again, God
gave them
over to the
desires of
their own
hearts, it
says in
Romans chapter
one.
Why?
Because they
exchanged the
truth about
God for a
lie.
They pushed
the word
of God
out.
You see
it down
through the
centuries in
the 16th
century, the
time of the
Reformation.
It was a
dark time.
The word of
the Lord was
rare.
And what
was the
motto in
the 16th
century at
that time of
Reformation?
After
darkness,
light.
The lamp
of God
had not
gone out.
And that's
true for
ourselves today
as well.
The word
is rare,
but we
praise God
the lamp
has not
gone out.
And that's
what God
is about to
remind the
people of
here in
Samuel's
day.
Samuel
would become
a prophet
who would
speak God's
word to
the people.
The
commentator
Dale Ralph
Davis
commenting on
this passage,
he has a
play on
words that's
very clever.
He says
this,
God's
people find
no profit
without a
prophet.
And God
is about to
profitably
profit them.
What's he
saying there?
No profit
in the sense
of no gain.
God's people
find no profit,
no gain,
without a
prophet,
one who
speaks the
word of
God.
but God
is about
to
profitably,
i.e.
Samuel
would be
the prophet
who will
speak,
profit them.
He will
give them
gain.
He will
give them
the word
of God.
And that's
what we
have for
our own
day as
well.
We have
no profit
without
the word
of God.
And the
only way
to profit
is through
the word
of God.
and the
word of
the Lord
stands
forever.
The word
was rare,
but the
lamp had
not
gone out.
And so
the second
thing we
see is
the word
of God
was
calling.
About to
lose
something,
what do
we do?
We have
to do
something
differently.
And in
the midst
of the
deafening
silence,
of the
absence
of God
here in
1 Samuel,
God is
about to
call.
God is
about to
speak.
And what
needs to
happen then?
What needs
to happen
when God
does call?
We need
to listen.
We need
to listen.
And we need
to recognize
who it is
that is
speaking.
God is
calling.
And what's
interesting
here is
that when
the Lord
called
Samuel
three times,
he didn't
recognize it
was God.
He ran
to Samuel
and said,
here I
am.
And
Samuel
said,
I didn't
call you,
just go
back.
How
did he
recognize
the voice
of God
calling?
Well,
it just
shows us
what had
come,
become of
the temple.
It was
a place
where God
was not
worshipped,
where God
was not
heard.
So he
didn't
recognize
the voice
of God.
He thought
it was
Samuel
calling him.
Two things
of interest
to us
here.
One is
Samuel
himself.
You read
in verse
seven,
after the
second time
that he'd
called,
now Samuel
did not
yet know
the Lord
and the
word of
the Lord
had not
yet been
revealed
to him.
He didn't
understand.
He didn't
know the
word of
the Lord.
Even though
he'd been
around it
for so
long,
he still
didn't
know it.
And I
think there's
a warning
to ourselves
there as
well.
Whatever
age and
stage we're
at,
whether we're
young,
middle-aged
or old,
how often
we can be
around the
word of
God.
How often
we can
hear the
word of
God and
yet still
not
understand.
We can
just let
it flow
past us,
go away
from us.
But there's
also a
challenge to
ourselves as
believers too.
How do we
deal with a
world in
which the
word of
God is
rare?
What are
our
expectations?
What are
our assumptions?
Christians?
When we
speak to
people around
us,
we so
often think
they'll
know what
the Bible
is.
They'll
know when
I speak
to them
about the
word of
God.
If I
tell them
to read
in the
book of
Matthew
or Mark
or Luke
or John,
we assume
they'll
know.
When we
speak of
characters in
the scriptures,
whether it's
Samuel,
whether it's
David,
whether it's
Paul,
Noah,
Ruth,
whoever,
we expect
they'll
know.
Even when
we speak
of God
and Jesus,
we think
they will
know who
we're
speaking
about.
We assume
they know.
And this
may come
as a
shock,
but there
are people
around us
who do
not know,
who do
not know
what the
word of
God is,
who do
not know
who Paul
or Noah
or Samuel,
who they
were or
what they
mean.
And sadly,
people who
hear the
word God
and who
hear the
word Jesus
and think
of it only
as a
swear word.
That's all
they know
of these
names.
We think
these people
cannot exist
in our own
midst.
They do.
And so
there's a
challenge there
for us.
how do
we deal
with a
world in
which the
word of
the Lord
is rare?
Well,
like Samuel
here,
like Eli,
was to
come back
to the
word of
God,
to look at
the word
of God,
to study
the word
of God,
to be able
to share
the word
of God
in an
informed
and an
instructed
way.
just this
past
Wednesday
at our
Bible study
in the
hall next
door,
we started
a study,
six steps
to speaking
about Jesus.
And one of
the questions
I asked at
the start
was,
hands up
if you want
to be able
to speak
to people
about Jesus.
and of
course we
all do.
But if you
ask who
feels able
to speak
about Jesus,
we so
often feel
that we
can't.
And so
that challenges
us.
If we want
to be a
light in
our community,
a people
who witness
in our
community,
are we
learning
from the
word of
God?
Are we
trusting
the word
of God?
Are we
listening
to the
word of
God
ourselves?
Samuel
was young.
But it
doesn't matter
what age
we are.
We cannot
just assume
that people
will have
a knowledge
of everything
that the
Bible teaches.
So we
need to
learn
together.
The word
of the
Lord is
rare.
Today,
people don't
know it.
And so
we have
to teach
it and
come around
it in
a way
that people
can
understand.
But what
else do we
notice here?
Well,
we see
that Samuel
was called
by God
by name.
And this
is something
that should
thrill us.
this is
something that
we should
marvel at
because God
today knows
our name.
He knows
your name.
He knows
my name.
And what
he does is
he still
calls us.
God knows
your name.
He knows
you personally.
Maybe tonight
you say,
but he's not
calling me.
I haven't
heard God
call out
my name.
Samuel here
we read of,
he heard,
he heard
someone who
he thought
initially was
Eli saying,
Samuel.
but it was
God.
But I
haven't
heard God
calling me
by name.
But he
does.
And you
ask,
well,
how?
Well,
he calls
you through
his word.
He speaks
to each
of us here
this night
by his
word.
In John,
the gospel
of John,
Jesus reminds
us of this.
He says,
my sheep
hear my
voice.
And I
know them.
And they
follow me
because they
hear my
voice.
And I
give them
eternal
life.
And they
will never
perish.
And no
one will
snatch
them out
of my
hand.
The word
of God
calls you.
And what
is it
saying
tonight?
It is
saying
to come.
To come
and hear
what I
have to
say.
To come
and hear
what the
word of
God is
telling you.
It is
talking about
a world
that is
perishing.
A world
that is
in chaos.
Days
when people
are doing
right in
their own
eyes.
That's
Samuel's
day.
That's
our day.
The word
of God
is relevant.
The word
of God
is speaking.
And as
God's
word
speaks,
what is
it telling
us?
It's
telling
us to
respond.
To come
and listen
to what
God
has to
say.
Samuel
was young.
Eli
was old.
But he
knew what
Samuel had
to do.
He said
Eli recognized
that the
Lord was
calling
Samuel.
Excuse
me.
In
verse
8 he
said,
the third
time he
had been
called,
here I
am for
you called
me.
Then Eli
perceived
that the
Lord was
calling the
young man.
Therefore
Eli said
to Samuel,
go and
lie down
and if
he calls
you shall
say,
speak
Lord for
your servant
hears.
He has
the wisdom
to guide
Samuel.
And that's
what we
need to
do as
well,
to guide
people,
to listen
to God
and to
understand
how God
is calling
and how
God is
speaking to
us in
a powerful
way.
The word
of God
is calling
tonight.
But the
question is,
are you
listening?
Are you
listening to
what the
Lord is
saying?
the
final thing
I just
want to
take from
this is
the word
was not
wasted.
The word
was not
wasted.
You see
it at the
end of
this chapter
in verse
19,
but it
ties into
everything
that comes
before it.
Samuel
grew and
the Lord
was with
him and
let none
of his
words
fall to
the ground.
He let
none of
his words
fall to
the ground.
Nothing
was wasted.
We often
say to
ourselves,
maybe,
what's
the point?
People
aren't
listening.
But
nothing is
wasted
with God.
Is it
possible to
say no
to God?
Eli told
Samuel to
say,
here I
am.
God is
calling you
and he
responded in
a positive
way.
But is it
possible to
say no
to God?
If God
is calling
your name,
can you
say no?
Of course
it is.
It happens
every time
the word of
God is
preached.
People
will say
no.
But that's
disobedience.
because God
is calling
you,
your response
should be the
same as
Samuel.
Speak,
Lord,
for your
servant
hears.
But we
say no.
I won't
listen.
I don't
want to
listen to
what God
has to
say.
It's of no
interest to
me.
And you have
examples all
the way through
Scripture where
they haven't
listened to
the voice of
God.
Jonah is
one great
example for
us.
He was
called by
God to
go to
Nineveh to
proclaim the
word of
God there.
And he
went completely
the opposite
direction.
But what
happened to
him?
How did he
get on running
away from
God?
Did it all
go well?
No.
Of course
not.
And if
you try and
run away
from God,
if you don't
listen to
him, is
it going to
end well
with you?
No, it's
not.
That's a
stark reality
that's made
plain as
God speaks
through Samuel
to Eli.
And it's
almost as
if Eli
was just
waiting and
expecting
this.
The message
that God
had through
Samuel to
Eli was
that his
house, his
people, were
going to be
afflicted.
They had
rejected God,
they had
shunned God.
And that's
the warning
to ourselves
as well.
If we
will not
listen to
God, there
are consequences.
And the
word of God
makes clear
for us,
on the one
hand, God
calls us to
Jesus to
come to
him, that
we might
have eternal
life.
God
will
perish.
But if we
don't listen, what's on the other side of the coin?
We will perish.
We will perish
eternally.
Because we have not
listened to the voice
of God.
Even though we've been hearing it,
even though we've been
under it,
we have said no.
And God is saying
to us, even tonight
again,
do you hear my voice?
Do you hear my voice
calling you?
Will you not
listen?
God's word
is never
wasted.
We are reminded
of that
in Isaiah
55,
where he speaks of
the word of God
accomplishing
every purpose
for which
he has sent
it out.
And what's
its purpose
here tonight?
it's to call
you to him.
To come
to him.
And God
is speaking.
Of that
there is no doubt.
Again and again
he speaks
to us.
And you say,
but how?
How does he speak?
Well, he speaks
to you
through the scriptures.
He speaks
to you
through the word
of God.
He calls
you to himself.
But he speaks
to you in another
way as well.
through providence.
Through things
that happen
in this world.
Whether it's
to you
or to others
that are always
reminders to us
that God
is speaking.
That he's
reminding us
that our time
here is short.
Whether it's
illness
or death
or tragedies
throughout the world.
He's speaking
to us
again and again.
but are you
listening?
And that's
not just
for those
who are
sitting here
maybe no
thought of God.
That's to
all of us.
You see
who he was
speaking to
here
in Samuel.
He was
speaking to
Samuel
who was
ministering
in the temple.
Speaking to
him
who had
heard the
word of
God
for many
years.
and as a
reminder to
ourselves
as a church
as a people
to awaken
to what
God is
saying.
To awaken
to the world
in which
we're living
in.
A world
where the
word of
the Lord
is rare.
Where the
people in
this world
are perishing.
But where
we have
the lamp
of God
that has
not yet
gone out.
And that
we have
this to
share
with the
world.
Listen
to what
God
is saying.
The
missionary
C.T.
Studd
he once
said this
I had
known about
Jesus
dying for
me
but I
had never
understood
that.
If he
had died
for me
then I
didn't
belong
to
myself.
Redemption
he said
means
buying
back
so that
if I
belong
to him
either
I
am
a
thief
and
I
keep
that
which
isn't
mine
or
else
I
have
to
give up
everything
to
God.
When I
came to
see that
Jesus had
died for
me
it didn't
seem hard
to give
up
all
for
him.
I
said I
will do
it for
your
glory.
I
will do
it
for
your
praise.
What a
challenge
in those
words.
Being
bought
back
redeemed
by God
we're
not
our
own.
We
don't
belong
to
ourselves
we
belong
to
him.
He
has
redeemed
us.
He
has
bought
us
back
with
a
price.
Christ
gave
himself
for
us.
It's
not for
us to
say
we
will
do
what's
right
in our
own
eyes.
It's
for us
to
say
we
will
do
your
will
and
delight
in
that.
To
be
called
a
thief
because
we're
not
giving
to
Christ
what
is
his
and
what
he
deserves.
To
give
our
lives
to
him
our
all
to
him
as
Samuel
had
been
given
by
his
mother
for
the
service
of
the
Lord
and
as
Samuel
lived
in
that
service
to
him
listening
to
the
voice
of
the
Lord
as
he
grew
in
stature
and
none
of
the
words
were
wasted
through
him
may it
be our
prayer
to have
that
obedience
to
recognize
to
the
call
to
listen
to
come
to
believe
and
to
share
the
word
of
God
the
word
is
rare
but
people
need
it
because
without
it
they
are
perishing
and
so
as
we
have
it
let us
speak
of the
wonder
of
Christ
who
would
save
us
let us
pray
our
father
in
heaven
we
thank
you
that
even
with
your
word
rare
in
our
midst
that
you
are
a
God
who
is
speaking
and
help
us
to
hear
your
voice
Lord
whatever
our
circumstances
to
hear
your
call
to
us
and
to
come
to
you
and
to
live
for
you
and
we
ask
it
for
Jesus
sake
Amen
Psalm
43
is our
final
singing
in the
Sing
Psalms
version
page
54
Psalm
43
we'll
sing
the
last
three
stanzas
from
verse
3
the tune
is
Old
100
send
your
light
forth
and
your
truth
let
them
direct
me
in
your
grace
and
bring
me
to
your
holy
hill
and
to
your
sacred
dwelling
place
we'll
sing
verse
3
to
5
to
God's
praise
oh
send
your
life
for
time
to
and
let
thy
hand
be
in
your
face
coming
me
to
your
holy
hill
to
your
sacred
dwelling
place
bring
to
God's
of
the
Bible
home
to
God
my
joy
almighty
light
and
I
will
praise
you
with
a
heart
oh
God
you
are
my
home
might
why
are
you
the
death
my
heart
oh
I
see
And my God is thee.
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
We'll close with the benediction.
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
rest upon and abide with you all
now and forevermore.
Amen.