June 1, 2008
Morning Worship
Text: 1 Samuel 3:1-21
Subject: Hearing God’s Voice
Title: Let Him Who Has Ears Hear…
Last week I spoke to you about how America is following in the footsteps of Europe in becoming basically, and anti-Christian nation. I found it interesting in these last couple of weeks that the presidential candidates are continually distancing themselves from different pastors and churches. Now I don’t agree with some of the things that these pastors are saying, but here is what is really happening. The candidates are trying hard to find a specific belief that will not offend anyone. They are trying to rewrite the Bible. They are attempting to remove God’s voice of influence from the political arena. Because no one wants to hear what God is saying to the nation.
After looking at what is going on culturally in our country I had to stop and ask myself, “Has this kind of thinking filtered into the church?” Is the church hearing God’s voice on a regular basis? If it is, then how has the church become so ineffective in the culture, and if we are not hearing, why not?
I want to share with you today about your ability to hear God’s voice and the things that can hinder it. I pray that you would open your ears to hear what the spirit is saying to the church.
I. HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD (verse 1-3) The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. In order for you to hear from the Lord you must be open to it. Look at how this is playing out. The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli… This is the third time that the scriptures tell us that. Samuel had been given to Eli for service in the wilderness tabernacle, but he ministered to the Lord! Samuel’s heart was right for hearing from God. But Eli and his sons were not. 2:12, Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD. In fact, the whole nation of Israel was not prepared to hear from God. At this time – the end of the rule of judges over Israel – it tells us in Judges 21:25, In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. You can see by the spiritual climate in the land that 1) It would be difficult for anyone to hear from one who they did no know, and, 2) they wouldn’t recognize who it was when God spoke. That is what Paul refers to in Romans 10:17, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Now how does that apply to the church? First, we need to be living in line with God’s written word (logos) in order for us to hear a spoken (rhema) word. I don’t have any doubt that the Holy Spirit is continually trying to speak words of life and ministry and fulfillment into each one of your lives. That happens in the spirit man. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” Nothing in the natural tells us… 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The church is supposed to be hearing from God. 2One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3The 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. 2 things to see here. 1) Eli’s spiritual vision had gone the way of his natural eyesight – he could barely see, and 2) There was spiritual darkness. It was the priests duty to keep the lamps trimmed and continually burning – but now the priests were letting the lamps burn out – the same way they had let the light of God be extinguished from them.
II. RECOGNIZING THE VOICE OF GOD. (4-8) 4Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. How did the Lord call Samuel? Was it an audible voice? We don’t know but whatever it was it was so strong that he thought it was audible. He didn’t recognize it as being the voice of God, so he assumed that it was Eli. This gives a word picture of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in the life of an unbeliever. First He calls. The Holy Spirit will convict you of sin and your need for a Savior. He will put it on your heart to respond to the call. And He will let you know that it is God you are responding to and not the preacher. If people begin coming to the altar because I somehow have given such a compelling altar call that they can resist, I have to tell you, it won’t be any good. 2 Peter 1:20-21, 20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture (the Word of God) came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21For prophecy (the word) never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart you should know that it is Him and not my words that are ministering to you. Samuel knew something was going on but he didn’t know who it was that was speaking. The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The word wouldn’t be revealed to him until after he comes to faith in God. Two more times the Lord calls to Samuel and he still doesn’t understand who it is. Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Do you see what was happening? The Holly spirit was ministering to Samuel but someone had to tell him how to respond. That is the nature of an altar call. God has already dealt with individuals. Now they are given the opportunity to respond. Now I want to encourage you with these words, hearing from God does not refer to salvation alone. Back when I read from 1 Corinthians 2, God has revealed it to us by His Spirit… He is still speaking words of life to the church. He is giving you words to speak through the gifts of the Spirit, whether it is tongues, interpretation, prophecy, a word of knowledge etc. I have tried to explain to you many times that too often we give our own human minds way too much credit. By that I mean that when the Holy Spirit is speaking to us we tend to think that it is our own minds making things up. We need to understand that if you are standing in the presence of the Lord during worship or at the altar, and your mind is upon Him, when you begin to sense that something is going on inside of you, it is the Holy Spirit. Eli had to tell Samuel how to respond.
III. RESPONDING TO THE VOICE OF GOD. (10) I have had several people come to me since our revival services and ask me this question, “Did you tell Pastor Tim everything you knew about all the people in the church”? “Yes, and I gave him names and pictures to go along with everyone so he would know how to make it look good.” (Sarcasm) Were you pretty amazed at the things the Lord revealed to him as he ministered? What was happening was that the Lord was revealing these things to Tim, but more importantly, he was responding to God’s word spoken to him. 10The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” When Samuel responded properly, God began to work through him. This proper response shows that Samuel now trusts in the Lord - Speak, for your servant is listening – He was in total submission to the will of God for his life. The word translated servant is ebed which refers to one who is a bondservant or bondslave. He had willfully placed himself under God’s submission – not by force, but out of love. This is the same kind of response that we see in Isaiah 6, 8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9He said, “Go and tell this people: Do you see what happens when you respond to the Holy Spirit when He speaks to you? You begin to flow in the spirit. The word continues to come to you. Luke chapter 1, You know the story. The angel appeared to Mary and told here when would be with child. 34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called£ the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.” 38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Do you get that? God cannot carry out his plan here on the earth without the response of those He calls. What if Mary had chosen not to respond? Would God have forced himself on her? NO! He doesn’t work without the consent of those whom He has chosen. Samuel said, Speak, for your servant is listening, and the prophetic ministry began to flow through him. 19The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. 20And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. 21The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
Is that your heart’s cry today. Do you want to be used by God? Do you want to be able to move in the Spirit according to His will? Are you ready to be used in the gifts of the Spirit? That’s what God wants for His church.
1. Get rid of all the things that hinder you from hearing God’s voice. Get rid of sin. Get rid of doubt. Get rid of complacency. Get rid of tradition. Open your spiritual ears to hear the voice of God. Take time to listen.
2. Recognize God’s voice. Ask yourself the question, “Is this going to glorify God and build up the body of Christ?” Does this line up in principle with the Bible? Keep your eyes fixed on Him. Worship Him. Exalt Him.
3. Respond to the voice of God with simple obedience. If He is giving you a message in tongues, speak it. If He is giving you an interpretation, give it. If a word of prophecy, use it. Do you want the Spirit to flow in your life the same way he did when Pastor Tim was here? Listen to this. Three times the Lord spoke to Samuel. Had he not responded in the proper way – by totally submitting to Him – nothing would have happened that night. What is He speaking to you right now?
If He is calling you to repentance - repent.
If He is calling you to salvation – give in.
If He is calling you to be baptized in the Holy Spirit – receive it.
If He is speaking a word to you right now – flow in it.
Don’t hesitate. Respond and be used by God. It will build you up and edify the church.
Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the church…
