The scripture reading comes from 1st Samuel chapters 1 and 2.
Please follow along on the screen the bulletin or your own Bible.
Starting in verse 1 we read.
There was a certain man of Ramathayim Suphiram of the hill country of Ephraim,
whose name was Elkanah, the son of Jeraham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuth, and Ephraithite.
He had two wives.
The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah.
And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts at Shiloh,
where the two sons of Eli, Hophani and Peninnahai, were the priests of the Lord.
On the day when Elkai sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnahai, his wife, and to all her sons and daughters.
But to Hannah, he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.
And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.
So it went on year by year.
As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her.
Therefore, Hannah wept and would not eat.
And Elkanah, her husband, said to her,
Hannah, why do you weep?
And why do you not eat?
And why is your heart sad?
Am I not more to you than ten sons?
After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose.
Now Eli, the priest, was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.
She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.
And she vowed a vow and said,
As she continued praying before the Lord,
Eli observed her mouth.
Hannah was speaking in her heart.
Only her lips moved and her voice was not heard.
Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman.
And Eli said to her,
How long will you go on being drunk?
Put your wine away from you.
But Hannah answered,
No, my Lord.
I am a woman troubled in spirit.
I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink.
But I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.
Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman.
For all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.
Then Eli answered,
Go in peace and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.
And she said,
Let your servant find favor in your eyes.
Then the woman went away and ate.
And her face was no longer sad.
They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the Lord.
Then they went back to their house at Ramah.
And Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife.
And the Lord remembered her.
And in due time,
Hannah conceived and bore a son.
And she called his name Samuel.
For she said,
I have asked for him from the Lord.
The man, Elkanah,
and all his house went up to offer to the Lord
the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vows.
But Hannah did not go up.
For she said to her husband,
And as soon as the child is weaned,
I will bring him,
so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord
and dwell there forever.
Elkanah, her husband, said to her,
Do what you seem best to you.
Wait until you have weaned him.
Only may the Lord establish his word.
So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.
And when she had weaned him,
she took him up with her,
along with a three-year-old bull,
and ephah of flour,
and a skin of wine,
and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh.
And the child was young.
Then they slaughtered the bull,
and they brought the child to Eli.
And she said,
Oh, my Lord,
as you live, my Lord,
I am the woman who was standing here in your presence,
praying to the Lord.
For this child I prayed,
and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him.
Therefore, I have lent him to the Lord.
As long as he lives,
he is lent to the Lord.
And he worshipped the Lord there.
And Hannah prayed and said,
My heart exalts in the Lord.
My horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
There is none holy like the Lord,
for there is none beside you,
and there is no rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly.
Let not arrogance come from your mouth,
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
Those who were full have hide themselves out for bread.
Those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has born seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life.
He brings down to Sheol,
and he raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich.
He brings low,
and he exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust.
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
and on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.
The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces.
Against them he will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.
Then Elkanah went home to Ramah,
and the boy ministered to the Lord
in the presence of Eli the priest.
This is the word of God.
Great.
Thank you, Bernard and Angeline,
for reading that.
Happy New Year!
Great.
There are some people who are excited.
That's really good.
Welcome, everyone, to Watermark.
Just in addition to Simon's welcome,
it's really exciting to see you in 2022.
And as Oscar shared,
we have no idea what this year has coming up,
but actually I'm excited
because we're going to be moving
in a new sermon series in 1 Samuel,
and just really excited to see
what God's going to do in us
as a church over this year.
So let me, before we start,
let me just pray for us as we get going.
Father, I just want to thank you so much
that there is none holy like you.
Father, I pray that this year,
regardless of how our feelings are,
regardless of what our desires
and what our plans are,
I pray that the boast of our hearts
will be at the end of 2022.
There is none holy like our God.
That we'd say there is none besides you.
There is no one like you.
Lord, I pray that you would humble us this year
so that we see that our honor
and our glory comes from you
and not from anyone else.
We would see that even as we look through
this book of Samuel,
Lord, that when we trust you,
that you are the one who is so faithful,
you are the one who is so true,
that we need to look nowhere else
other than to you at this time.
Lord, I pray for those of us
who have had a really tough 2021.
I pray, Lord,
that you would just minister to us
and give us courage and hope for 2022.
I pray for those of us
who had a great 2021.
Lord, I pray that for 2022,
Lord, we'd not trust in our own abilities
or our own success,
but we'd run to you
knowing just how much we need you.
Lord, I pray that this year
we'd be a church
which knows how to pray
in all weathers
and in all circumstances
and to see and rejoice
in your salvation.
So, Lord, we just give you this.
Please open our hearts,
open our ears to see you
and to hear you, we pray.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Great.
For those of you who don't know me,
my name is Chris
and I am not quite that short.
So, let me just...
All done.
There we go.
Great.
I have a love-hate relationship
with these things.
So, great.
Just really excited
to be going through Samuel
in this series
and if you've got your bulletin,
please kind of have it open
so that we can kind of refer
to the passage as we go.
But just to kind of set the scene
a little bit,
I don't know when you were a kid
what you wanted to do
when you would grow up.
For me,
one of the things I dreamed of,
I dreamed of being
a cricketer for England
and a rock guitarist.
Not at the same time,
but that was my career progression
that I was hoping to go for
and none of those
have materialized,
as you can tell.
But I bet
whatever you would answer
to that question
that none of you
would answer
that you wanted to be
a mortuary beautician.
Does anyone know
what a mortuary beautician is?
Rhoda does.
Okay,
you can talk to Rhoda afterwards.
But a mortuary beautician
is when someone has died,
it's someone who puts the makeup
on the corpse afterwards.
And I read in the SCMP
of one person
who described the work
that she did
for a relative of hers
who'd just died
and here's what she said.
She said,
my aunt looked so gorgeous
like never before.
And I read that
and I wondered
what her aunt had looked like
before she had died.
But in one sense,
the picture there
is actually,
the book of Samuel
is actually brilliantly
going to tell a narrative
which cuts right to the heart
to show us
that it's possible
to spend your entire life,
it's possible to focus
so much on the outside
and making up the outside
to look beautiful
when what's on the inside
can actually be rotten and dying.
And so the whole
of Samuel's message
can be summarized
from chapter 16
with this phrase
which is,
man looks at the outward appearance
but the Lord looks at the heart.
You see,
and you're going to see this
again and again.
You're going to see it
how Eli's sons
versus Samuel,
you're going to see it
with Saul versus David,
you're going to see it
with David versus Goliath
and all the way through
you're going to see
God actually looks
beneath the surface
and he looks to see
are you trusting him
or are you seeking
your own glory
and your own honor
for yourself?
And that's where the book
is all the time
through multiple narratives
is going to show us
this theme.
And originally
the book of Samuel
was actually,
it's so long,
it's actually one book,
one Samuel and two Samuel,
actually there was only
Samuel originally
but it was so long
that they put it on
two scrolls
and it became two books.
And it's the story
of the rise and fall
of two kings,
Saul,
King Saul
and King David.
And actually the way
that it's written,
the Hebrew Bible
actually has Samuel
coming straight after
the book of Judges.
The Greek order
which some of our
New Testament Bible
follows,
it has a different order
but the Hebrew Bible
has Judges first
and then Samuel next
because do you know
how the book of Judges ends?
And Samuel, by the way,
is the last judge of Israel.
The book of Judges
closes like this,
in those days
there was no king
because everyone
did what was right
in his own eyes.
That's the backdrop
to the whole book
of Samuel.
It's a dark time,
everyone's doing
what they want to do.
And even the religion
was corrupt
and you're going to find
that the sons of Eli's
who were the priests,
like the pastors
of the time,
they were a nasty,
dodgy piece of work.
So it's a dark time
and what we're going
to look at
in this first opening
chapter or so
is three things.
We're going to see
a family,
a little glimmer of light
that comes in this darkness
with a family
and we're going to look
at the shame of Hannah
because it's really
focusing on Hannah,
this first part.
The shame of Hannah,
the response of Hannah
and then the boast of Hannah.
Okay, so that's where
we're going
with this narrative
because in this story
what you find
is you find a husband
called Elkanah
and he seems like
a good guy.
He's still following
the Torah
which is the law
of Moses
which called you
to go up
to the tabernacle,
God's meeting place
which was at Shiloh,
this place at the time,
to offer what were called
fellowship offerings
as worship to God.
Okay, so
and this time
of fellowship offerings,
you would sacrifice
an animal
and then it was like
a community barbecue.
You'd eat the meat,
you'd kind of
offer the sacrifice,
you'd kill it
and then you'd share
out the meat
and everyone would sit around
and have an amazing party.
It'd be like Christmas
and New Year
all rolled into one.
Deuteronomy 12
actually tells us
like everyone
was to rejoice
before the Lord.
It was a happy occasion
and so
you have here
this family
who's going up
and there are two wives.
There are two wives.
One is called Hannah
and one is Penina
and if you notice
Hannah's name
comes first
in chapter 2
which commentators think
means she was
the first wife
married
and
so what happens
as she's coming there
and it's supposed
to be this
joy-filled time
everyone else
is laughing
but Hannah
is weeping.
She's the first wife
and yet
the text
then says
in verse 2
it says
Penina
had children
and Hannah
had no children.
Do you notice
whose name
comes first now?
You see
Hannah's name
now comes last
because socially
she's considered
inferior
because she can't
conceive.
She can't
have a child
and in a family
culture
where your honor
your status
your whole identity
for a woman
was wrapped up
with whether
you could bear
children
and carry on
the family name
this was
absolutely
devastating for her.
There's no
kind of medical
support
to help
things along
and we know
this in Hong Kong
you know
for some of you
who've experienced
the pain
of not being
able to conceive
and you may
know people
with that
it can be
a really painful
hard
situation
but in Jewish
culture
it was
so huge
for them
I mean
do you remember
the story
of Abraham
and Sarah
and God
comes to Abraham
and says to Abraham
listen
I'm going to
give you
an amazing
reward
and Abraham
replies
what can you
give me
I don't have
a son
like there's
nothing you
can give me
that is worth
anything
if I don't
have a son
and that's
the guy
imagine what
it was like
for the woman
in that time
for a woman
to be unable
to bear children
was considered
by many
to be a curse
from God
for maybe
some secret
sin that she
had
and the text
seems
that says
twice
the Lord
had shut
her womb
and for Hannah
she has got
every right
to think
well maybe
God's against
me in some
way
what's going
on
and if that
wasn't bad
enough
you then
see different
responses
from people
but I mean
Elkanah
though he
loved Hannah
he didn't
do what
Isaac
in the book
of Genesis
did when
his wife
was barren
Genesis 25
says this
Isaac prayed
to the Lord
for his wife
because she
was barren
and the Lord
granted her
granted his
prayer
Elkanah
doesn't do
that
he's a kind
of typical
guy
okay
he takes
the matters
into his own
hands
he tries
to fix
the situation
and does
what everyone
else in the
culture would
do
because Hannah's
not getting
children so he
marries another
wife
which was
Penina
and his
little plan
seems to
work
because Penina
is just
knocking out
kids like
nobody's business
and Hannah's
there looking
on left
behind
and here's
where it
says
it says
verse 6
her rival
notice how
it's phrased
her rival
used to
provoke
Hannah
grievously
with deep
grief
it caused
her
why
to irritate
her
what a
wonderful
woman
right
like just
to show
that she's
superior
and she's
better than
her
year after
year at
this
celebration
she cruelly
rejoices in
Hannah's
failure
like what
good are
you Hannah
like why
are you so
useless
and Elkanah
that's kind
of Penina's
response
pretty harsh
right
Elkanah's
response
well like
most of us
guys
he's actually
got good
intentions
okay
ladies
if you are
married or
if you're not
most guys have
some good
intentions
okay
but he's
totally
clueless
when it
comes to
this kind
of deeper
emotional
issues that
are going
on right
now
and so
his response
in verse
8
when Hannah
is weeping
you know
a lot of
guys don't
know what
to do
when women
are crying
and so
what he
does
he goes
why do
you weep
why do
you not
eat
why is
your heart
sad
super
empathetic
right
you want
him as
your
counsellor
and he
goes
oh
and what
he says
have another
piece of
steak
a double
portion
that will
make everything
better
isn't my
love enough
for you
and Hannah's
kind of response
I can imagine
is no
Elkanah
you don't
get it at
all
my wife
often says
that to me
you know
but I'm
trying in my
logical way
to kind of
fix the
problem
come up
with solutions
and it
doesn't
work
okay
that's
just a
tip
for you
husbands
and
actually
as
husband
let me
just
talk to
the guys
for a
second
if you
are
a
husband
many
of us
when we
have
marriage
issues
many of
us
when we
have
just
issues
with
our
family
we
turn
into
fix
it
mode
we
try
and
find
the
solution
and
the
worst
thing
for us
is
actually
if it
ever
seems
to
work
for a
while
because
it
blinds
us
to
our
actual
incompetence
and
this
passage
for
husbands
there
is a
challenge
here
Elkanah
at no
point
you see
him
praying
but
actually
you can
be a
nice
guy
like
Elkanah
but
actually
the
passage
is
going
to
call
us
if
we're
going
to
lead
our
wives
and
lead
our
families
well
in
2022
do
you
know
the
number
one
thing
that
you
need
to
be
doing
as
a
husband
your
wife
so
how
are
we
doing
in
that
because
you
know
it
can
be
like
hey
the
kids
are
going
crazy
okay
you
go
hey
love
let's
just
pray
about
it
together
because
that
is
what
Christian
leadership
is
going
to
look
like
for
us
to
be
guys
who
initiate
and
lead
by
praying
with
and
for
our
wives
not
trying
to
fix
the
issues
that's
an
aside
but
that's
there
because
Elkanah
who's
fixing
leads
to
Hannah
being
trampled
on
and
crushed
and
this
doesn't
happen
just
once
do you
notice
what it
says
verse 7
it says
it went
on
year
by
year
man
that's
crushing
isn't
it
there's
just
no
way
out
of
this
oppression
and
this
sense
that
she
doesn't
know
what's
going
and
then
to
make
Hannah
worse
okay
if
that's
not
bad
enough
society
shames
you
it's
not
bad
your
rival
wife
is
shaming
you
your
husband
doesn't
get
you
and
then
it's
even
worse
because
it feels
like
church
is
judging
you
as
well
because
she
goes
to
pray
and
Eli
the
high
priest
who
is
the
most
respected
religious
leader
of
the
time
he
sees
her
praying
silently
and
he
knows
what
the
culture
is
like
everyone
has
just
had
a
big
party
and
so
in
her
most
vulnerable
state
he
comes
over
to
her
and
identifies
her
as a
worthless
good
for
nothing
drunk
he
says
how long
will you
go on
being
drunk
put your
wine
away
from
you
do you
know what
he's
saying
he's
basically
telling her
we don't
want your
type
around
here
get
out
man
cursed
by
god
she
feels
rejected
misunderstood
judged
shamed
even
by
the
religious
people
around
you
how
do
you
respond
when
you're
in
that
place
you know
I heard
one
pastor
say
this
and I
think
it's
true
he said
when
people
are
mildly
distressed
they
often
pray
you know
you've
got a
job
interview
or
something
you're
feeling
a bit
stressed
you might
pray
about
it
when
you're
moderately
distressed
you
sometimes
pray
but
when
people
are
deeply
distressed
they
rarely
pray
we
rarely
pray
when
you're
really
hurt
or
when
you
really
feel
helpless
we
often
fail
to
pray
but
these
moments
are
the
defining
moments
of our
lives
they are
the
crossroads
of our
hearts
because
how we
respond
will
shape
the
entire
trajectory
of your
heart
and life
when you
are in
those
moments
that is
where
Hannah
is
in the
moment
of the
deepest
pit of
shame
hurt
judged
misunderstood
offended
in so
many ways
what's
her
response
and I
love this
because
what you
discover
as you
look through
and verse
nine
you see
that Hannah
she's a
victim
right
but she
doesn't
have a
victim
mentality
she's
a
fighter
she's
a
woman
of
backbone
and
steel
in her
in the
midst
of her
helplessness
she doesn't
just stay
bitter
she doesn't
just stay
kind of
comparing
it's not
fair
she doesn't
kind of
withdraw
she doesn't
just vent
to her
friends
she doesn't
go
I'm
going to
show
Penina
verse
nine
it says
after they'd
eaten and
drunk
in Shiloh
Hannah
rose
I love
that
some of
us need
to learn
how to
rise
because
some of
us have
stayed
living in
the court
of human
opinion
for too
long
living under
the offense
of other
people
maybe hurtful
comments
maybe even
just jealousy
or just
comparison
at work
or in
other places
you stay
bitter at
circumstances
and we're
coming into
2022
and God
says there's
a new
chance
because
Hannah
in that
place
she rose
she gets
up
out of
the place
of shame
she goes
to the
tent
of God's
presence
to pray
and here's
how she
prays
verse 10
she was
deeply
distressed
and prayed
to the
Lord
and wept
bitterly
that's not
how many
Christians
pray
many of us
as Christians
we kind of
pray superficial
prayers
she pours
out her
entire
soul
to God
some of
us think
you can't
tell God
if you're
angry
if you're
hurting
or you're
in pain
because
you know
Christians
you're supposed
to be full
of joy
all the time
and you know
he might
get a bit
annoyed
that's
actually
the enemy
because
you know
shame
always wants
to isolate
you
from others
but also
from God
in the deepest
wounds
of your
heart
and that
just leaves
you with
yourself
but actually
the place
of helplessness
is the
place
of prayer
because it
is a great
place to be
author
Oli Hallisby
said in his
book on
prayer
here's what he
said
he said
only he
who is
helpless
can pray
now listen
to this
this is
really insightful
only he
who is
helpless
can pray
your
helplessness
is your
best
prayer
it calls
from your
heart
to the
heart
of God
with greater
effect
than all
your
uttered
pleas
what does
he mean
he's saying
that prayer
that is not
from a place
where you know
your absolute
helplessness
and need
of God
is like
asking God
just to put
the icing
on the cake
but we'll
make the
cake
ourselves
it's like
we'll stay
in control
of our
lives
you just
kind of
fix a few
things
I can't
fix
but helplessness
invites God
into your
uncertainty
into your
distress
into your
weakness
into where
you feel
like I don't
know how
to do
this
and that's
where he's
going to
get glory
by showing
his power
in your
weakness
as he
brings his
answer
and you know
it can help
when you unload
your feelings
to your friends
or to your
spouse
but I fear
that many
of us
substitute
sharing with
friends with
actually talking
to God
about our
deepest
issues
even about
what you're
thinking for
2022
and so let me
encourage us as a
church
if your friend
unloads to you
listen to them
really well
don't be like
Elkanah
be empathetic
listen to them
but at the end
say hey can we
give this to God
now
because his
shoulders are way
bigger than mine
and he can
handle this
you see
Hannah prays
and runs to
God in a
helplessness
but the second
thing that she
does
and this is also
super challenging
second thing she
does
she surrenders to
God
her greatest
desire
here's what it
says
her prayer
verse 11
and she vowed
a vow
and said
oh Lord of
hosts
the God of
all the armies
all the
heavenlies
the most
powerful God
if you
will indeed
look on the
affliction of
your servant
and remember
me and not
forget your
servant
and give to
your servant
a son
then I will
give him
to the Lord
all the days
of his life
and no razor
shall touch
his head
this is really
remarkable
if I was to
say to you
what do you
want right now
more than
anything else
just think for a
minute
what do you
want more
than anything
else
and if you
were going to
pray for that
what would you
say
you know
better job
promotion
whatever it
is
we might say
hey God
give me this
I'm praying for
this God
help me out
of this
situation
whatever
but if
what you
then said
was
and I'm
willing to
surrender
completely
the answer
to you
it's totally
in your
hands
take it
it's your
will
I give it
back to you
just like
you remember
Abraham
offered his
most precious
son on the
altar
and just like
Hannah
now makes
a vow
and offers
the son
that she
craves
more than
anything else
in the whole
world
as a
Nazarite
which means
somebody who
is fully
devoted to
God
set apart
from him
to go
and live
in the
tabernacle
to be there
away from
home
in Shiloh
she says
I give him
away
back to you
it's actually
insane
because this
son could be
the answer
to every one
of Penina's
attacks
right
if you go
okay yeah
just look at
my son
this son could
remove all her
shame in the
village
this son could
give her a
new status
identity
and honour
and yet
she says
I am willing
I desperately
want that
but I'm
willing
to give him
back to you
in worship
do you see
what he's saying
she's saying
I want this
badly
but actually
I want
to know
God
that you
care for me
that you
remember me
and that I
as your
servant
want you
to be honoured
more than I
just want to
get my
personal comfort
my situation
sorted out
I want
you to be
my treasure
and only
your love
can cover
my shame
more than
Elkanah's
come
more than
even having
this son
can cover
my shame
you are
the source
of it all
that's what
she's saying
I'm your
servant
it's not
about me
it's actually
about you
that's a
really powerful
prayer
because you
see everyone
else
Eli
Elkanah
everybody
else
they're
offering
small
animal
sacrifices
to God
on the
altar
as
worship
and
everyone's
going
oh you
guys
are
amazing
but
actually
they look
and judge
Hannah
as cursed
by God
but Hannah
is offering
the most
precious
and the
greatest
desire
of her
soul
to God
as
worship
because she
knows that
her God
is faithful
and her
God
is good
and God
sees
her
heart
it's
beautiful
I mean
what do you
want this
year
what do
you want
what are
you praying
for
how willing
are you
to say
God
I surrender
that to
you
and I
trust you
with the
outcome
more than
this job
more than
this relationship
because I
know that
you are the
place which
will cover
my shame
you are the
place which
gives me
honor
you are the
place which
will satisfy
me
you are my
treasure
because when
we trust
God in
that kind
of place
do you
see what
happens in
verse 18
says
then the
woman went
her way
and ate
and her
face was
no longer
sad
suddenly she
found peace
and joy
again
you know
some of us
can pray
and we get
up from
prayer
miserable
still
burdened
going
well that
was no
use
because we've
not reached
the place
of surrender
we've not
reached the
place of
finding God
as our
treasure
do you know
the Puritans
they used to
say pray
until you
pray
I love that
pray until
you pray
that means
keep coming
back to
the presence
of God
until you
walk away
with a peace
knowing God
has got this
and it's in
his hands
and I'm going
to trust him
with this
keep praying
until you
get to
that place
and the
amazing thing
is God
answers
Hannah
gives her
a son
who's called
Samuel
who's going
to become
the king
maker
as we're
going to
go on
in the
story
and the
amazing
thing is
Hannah
doesn't go
back on
a promise
even when
she experiences
the sweetness
of the son
and that
maternal bond
that she
has
man that
makes it
hard to
keep going
with your
promise
doesn't it
but even
at that
point
she's still
going
God
I want
you to
be my
treasure
and she
takes him
to live
at Shiloh
to worship
God
there
it's a
super
challenging
response
after the
shame
that she's
experienced
but finding
the response
that she
goes through
of running
to God
in prayer
surrendering
and finding
God's grace
in the midst
of it
and the
final thing
that we
see
is not
the shame
not the
response
but the
boast
of Hannah
how are we
doing
good
Annabelle's
good
I'm going
to just
look very
briefly
chapter 2
verse 1
to 11
this is
just
there's time
we could do
three sermons
on this
but I'm
going to
go really
briefly
2 verse 1
says
that this is
actually a
prayer of
Hannah
it's a
beautiful
prayer
but do you
notice something
if you look
in your
bulletin
it's not
addressed to
God at
all
it's
actually
a testimony
of
answered
prayer
for us
as readers
to make
note of
and actually
in this
testimony
are the
themes
of the
whole
book
of how
God
raises
the
lowly
and
brings
down
the
proud
but
actually
this
testimony
is a
boast
he says
that there
is none
holy
like the
Lord
that means
God
doesn't
work
the way
we work
his
operating
system
isn't
the way
that we
operate
he works
in our
weakness
to show
his power
as Paul
says
his glory
is shown
in taking
the weak
things of
the world
to shame
the strong
and going
into
2022
for each
one of
us
we have
a choice
this is
where Hannah's
going
we have a
choice of
whether we
want to
live in
the court
of human
opinion
or whether
we want
to live
in the
court
of God's
opinion
because human
opinion
is a
court that
looks at
the outward
appearance
and it
wants to
associate
in some
way
with what
seems
successful
which seems
powerful
secure
respectable
whatever
it is
if you say
I work
at Google
or I went
to Harvard
or even
I went
to Hong Kong
U
that's honour
people go
oh really
that's honour
because you're
associated with
someone who's
got respect
or someone
who's got
cred
street cred
right
but actually
you've got to
keep that up
because actually
if you have
been to Hong Kong
U
many of you
feel like
well
no
I'm not
that honourable
yet
and so
that's what
keeps us
continually
striving
and striving
for more
it's the
relentless
chase
in Hong Kong
because the
court of
human opinion
the court
of Penina's
judgment
and even
the court
of Eli's
judgment
initial judgment
is a fickle
court
it boasts
of your
position
and it
looks down
on other
people
who haven't
made it
but you
know
one moment
you're praised
and then the
next moment
you're forgotten
and notice
in the passage
it says here
it says
verse 3
talk no more
so very proudly
let not arrogance
come from your mouth
and then he's going to go
the mighty
the full
the one with many
children
the exalted one
he then brackets
them actually
in the wicked
and he says
those people
that everyone
looks at
and says
wow
you're so impressive
he says
they will be
the broken
the hungry
the forlorn
those who
hire themselves
out for bread
those who are
cut off
in darkness
what he's saying
is trusting
in yourself
and just the
outward
appearance
looks like
glitter
but in the
light of God's
judgment
and he is
the ultimate
judge
the glitter
soon falls
on the carpet
and gets swept
away
and all that
impresses you
all that glitters
is not gold
that's the title
of our series
but if you
live in the
court of God's
opinion
it's a
court of joy
sometimes pain
but a
court of joy
which looks
at the heart
which wants
to associate
itself more
with God
than what the
world thinks
it's a court
whose boast
is in the
hope of God
himself
and Hannah
says
in verse
one
my heart
exalts
in
not myself
but in the
Lord
my strength
is exalted
in the Lord
I rejoice
in your
salvation
you see
this joy
is actually
the joy
for where
he goes
through
it's the
feeble
it's the
hungry
it's the
barren
it's the
poor
it's the
needy
it's those
who know
how much
they need
God
and it's
those who
are faithfully
wanting to go
to him
the faithful
ones
looking to
God
those people
in that
place
they're the
ones
who will
be
they will
have
strength
they will
cease to
hunger
they will
sit with
princes
they will
inherit
honour
which is
not just
here one
day and
taken away
and the
next
they are
the one
who are
guarded
and protected
in 2022
it's a
court for
those who
run to
God
in their
helplessness
knowing
their need
and knowing
he's the
one who
comes
through
every
single
time
and the
thing is
this
it's a
challenge
you cannot
live for
both
courts
you cannot
live for
the court
of human
opinion
and the
court of
God's
opinion
you've
got to
choose
one of
them
because
you see
the gospel
says
this
the one
who has
the name
above all
names
the most
honoured
one
Jesus
Christ
is the
one who
had no
beauty
that we
should
desire
him
he was
despised
and rejected
by men
we've looked
at Christmas
how he was
born in
shame
the lowest
of the
low
to a
young
peasant
girl
called
Mary
who
actually
sings
a song
in Luke
chapter
one
which is
just like
Hannah
where she
exalts
she proclaims
how God
exalts
the humble
and brings
down the
proud
and this
king
Jesus
he grows
up
and he
seems to
be successful
for a little
while
he attracts
the crowds
but John
says he
doesn't
entrust
himself
to them
because he
knows what's
in a man
he knows
how fickle
the court
of human
opinion
is
and he's
totally
right
because even
as he's
going around
doing good
the religious
leaders
turn on him
judge him
call him
a follower
of Satan
condemn him
and he gets
betrayed
rejected by
all
alone
and then
in Gethsemane
at the point
of his
greatest
helplessness
do you
know what
he does
he goes
let me
just fix
this
let me
call down
a legions
of angels
just to
come and
just show
you
who's
boss
here
no he
doesn't
he
prays
it's an
agonizing
prayer of
distress
it's not
kind of
nice
British
kind of
polite
prayer
and he
says
God
if there's
another
way
out of
this
I don't
want to
die
I don't
want to
be
separated
from you
please
give me
another
way
you know
he's
totally
real
we don't
expect that
of Jesus
do we
but that's
what he
calls us
to
and then
he surrenders
his greatest
desire
and says
but it's
not my
will
but it's
yours
I want
you
more
than I
want
me
and on
the cross
the ultimate
shame
and humiliation
Jesus
is treated
as cursed
by God
mocked
and scorned
by others
in a worse
way than
Hannah
ever
experienced
and he
prays
again
and he
says
into your
hands
God
I
commit
my
spirit
and then
he dies
and then
he rises
again
in power
and the
place
of greatest
weakness
the place
of greatest
shame
the place
of greatest
dishonor
in everybody's
eyes
on the
human
court
becomes
the place
of the
greatest
glory
and the
greatest
honor
and the
greatest
vindication
from the
court
of heaven
and if
you're a
Christian
today
this is
our king
this is
the one
we're
following
and so
in 2022
the question
is who
do you
want to
be
associated
with
most
who will
you boast
in
God
because
when
Jesus
is your
boast
our
helplessness
our
weakness
whatever
struggles
we go
through
or don't
go
through
becomes
a chance
an opportunity
to run
to him
and to
find
and revel
and delight
in him
do you know
have you ever
tried sharing
the gospel
and it just
felt weird
and just
super awkward
and people
just kind of
went roll
their eyes
or maybe
made some
sarcastic
comment
and you
just went
away going
I never
want to
do that
again
anyone
done that
maybe it's
just me
do you know
what's happening
at that
moment
I'm allowing
the court
of human
opinion
to judge
me
but what
if actually
at that
point
I actually
said
I came
in prayer
and remembered
that actually
my honour
is from
associating
with Jesus
not from
how well
I performed
and we
go
we remember
he says
you're my
dearly loved
son
you're my
dearly loved
daughter
I'm proud
of you
I am
pleased
with you
and at
that moment
if his
voice counts
more than
other people's
voice to you
you can go
wow I
understand
just a little
bit
just a tiny
fraction of
what Jesus
went through
the shame
he experienced
and here's
an honour
for me to
be associated
with him
and you can
rise with
joy and
peace and
go out
again
that's
freedom
right
that's
freedom
let me
close with
this
Humpty
Dumpty
sat on
a wall
he was
really good
at sitting
you know
for an egg
to sit on
a wall
is pretty
impressive
and then
Humpty
had a fall
and all
the king's
horses
and all
the king's
men
couldn't
put
Humpty
together
again
do you
know what
a tragedy
it would
have been
if they'd
managed
to fix
him
or even
worse
if he'd
managed
to fix
himself
because
he'd
have
gone
hey
I'm
a pretty
good
egg
fixer
and he'd
have
boasted
in himself
maybe just
put his
shell back
together
everyone else
would have
gone
wow
so
impressive
but inside
he would
have
been
empty
but if
and the
nursery rhyme
doesn't tell
us this
I'm using
a bit of
imagination
here
he like
Hannah
had prayed
at that
moment of
his breaking
on the floor
the mess
that was
there
I don't
know what
would have
happened
but maybe
God would
have made
him into
an omelette
or something
that's just
speculation
guys
just don't
quote me
on that
but it
would have
been for
the delight
of many
people
and when
they looked
at him
they wouldn't
have praised
him
they would
have praised
the chef
who had
actually made
one mess
of a life
and turned
it into
something of
beauty and
honour and
glory
I am so
challenged by
this passage
personally
if I can be
honest
you know
we
this year
for us
we're going
through transition
we're going
to be moving
to pastoring
a church
in the UK
in Manchester
and it's a
church that
you know
they've said
to me
hey we want
to bring
change
we want
to draw
new people
in
a lot of
congregations
are much
older than
myself
and as I
look into
the year
my prayer
is kind
of God
I pray
that things
will grow
I pray
that you
would just
kind of
bring new
people
you'd save
people
that you'd
create a
success
out of all
of this
and I feel
completely
inadequate
to do so
I don't
know what's
coming up
and my
temptation
is to try
and strategize
and plan
and try
and go
okay
here's
all the
things
I've
got to
do
okay
make sure
I've got to
do this
get to do
that
and try
and get
all my
ducks
in a row
but you
know the
problem
is
and this
is where
God has
challenged
me
he's
challenged
me to
pray
not just
to kind
of go
ahead
and try
and plan
but you
but to
he's
buttoned
he's
all the
know the
desire
for things
to work
really
well
will
I
surrender
even the
desire
that people
think
oh you're
doing a
good job
because, you know, that is actually really scary
because I fear failure.
But at that moment,
God has just been saying to me,
it doesn't matter whether other people
get excited or disappointed.
That's not the issue.
The issue is,
will you take joy in me
and just pleasing me
and be like Hannah?
Because when I'm at that point,
I know,
because I've seen it so many times,
that God is faithful.
God is faithful.
And when I do that,
there is a peace
where I don't have to fix everything
and that takes the stress way off.
So 2021,
some of us have felt very broken.
Some of you,
it's just been a hard time,
a hard year.
And you felt hopeless.
Some of you have just been waiting
for God's answer.
I believe this year,
that God actually wants to draw you
and to bring you to a place
where at the end of this year,
you will have a testimony,
a boast like Hannah does.
That you have seen how he has exalted
and honored you in a way
that you couldn't by yourself.
He's going to bring restoration
into your life.
I really believe that for some of you.
But he calls you,
just keep running back to him in prayer.
Some of us,
actually,
you want to be strong
and successful this year.
My prayer for you
is actually God breaks you.
Not because I'm being cruel.
But actually because
you need to know,
like Humpty Dumpty,
and like Hannah,
that when we learn to boast in Jesus
and not in ourself,
that's a place of greater freedom
than when everything goes right for you.
And that's a place
where this year,
in our church,
my prayer
is that maybe people look at us
and we go,
hey, you did really well
or maybe you didn't do really well.
I don't know.
But actually my prayer is,
in one sense,
that's not the key thing for us.
The key thing for us
is that we want to boast in Jesus
and we want him to be honored
more than we even want
the best desires of our own hearts.
And we're willing to surrender
this year to him
and watch and see
what he does with it
and be surprised.
Let's pray.
Amen.
Maybe you just need to think
how you are looking at this next year.
How you're looking at your desires.
Maybe you just need to respond to him.
Some of you need to respond
in just thanks and praise.
Because actually God has been so good to you
and you have seen his faithfulness.
Some of us need to respond in repentance
because we really are trying
to just fix things
and it's become stressful
in so many ways.
Even as Oscar shared,
we've been so centered on ourselves
and our problems
that we fail to see God
in the midst of it.
And some of us need to just
walk by faith this year.
Surrendering
and trusting him
that whatever's going on,
whether it's an amazing year
or whether it's a tough year,
he's got us
and he's going to bring us through.
So Father,
I just pray that as a church,
our greatest boast
would not be in ourselves,
but with how that you take
and lift the needy
out of the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and give us an inheritance of honor.
I pray that that would become
so precious to us
that we don't have to live
for the honor
that comes from other people around us.
That we have such security in you
that we can walk in a freedom this year
with a joy
so that actually
if you provide us
with abundant blessings,
it's not going to inflate our egos.
Or if you take away
certain things,
that's not going to deflate us completely.
But we'll learn how to run to you
in all and every situation
and find joy
in the King of Kings.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.