SPEAK LORD, FOR THY SERVANT HEARETH

1 Samuel 3:1-10 (KJV)

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.

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, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 

That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. 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: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

1And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

When thinking about Samuel – especially his early life, I am reminded of what Jesus said in,

Matthew 23:1-4 (KJV)

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 

All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 

After Hannah had prayed and God had given her a son, she kept her promise and “lent him to the Lord” to be raised in the Temple under the leadership of the High Priest, Eli.

Eli was not a great father. But he did give sound spiritual counsel to young Samuel.

As soon as he perceived that God was speaking to Samuel, Eli told him exactly what to do.

Samuel did what Eli said. The next time God called out to him, Samuel said, “Speak Lord, for the servant heareth.”

Eli taught Samuel what became the foundation for his life – “Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth”

After Eli and his sons died, and the Philistines took the Ark of the Covenant, Samuel “goes dark” for approximately twenty years.

Does that remind you of any other Biblical persons?

John the Baptist – we know nothing from his birth until he begins his ministry at about age 30.

Jesus – the last we hear of the childhood of Christ was when He was 12 years old. The Bible goes silent until he begins his ministry, about six months after John the Baptist.

When Samuel returns to Biblical attention it is over the controversy of naming a king.

It turned out that Samuel was also not a great father – we almost invariably learn how to raise kids from our parents. If that isn’t Biblical, then we must make conscious efforts to learn a different way, and apply it.

Samuel’s sons became as terrible as Eli’s were and the people of Israel, fearful of having them replace Samuel at his death, insisted upon a king.

Admittedly it does not appear to be a great start.

• • But what Samuel and his sons had done wrong
• • And what Israel did wrong because of it

God, in His time, turned into good.

The spiritual character of Samuel never comes into question again and, when the people demanded a king, God’s encouragement to Samuel was, 1 Samuel 8:7 (KJV)

…  they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Think about this. This is a father whose children have so corrupted his testimony that they want a king instead of a judge like Samuel to rule over them.

It would be very easy to believe that this whole rebellion is because of you.

God insisted that it was not!

I want to give you three ways in which Samuel’s spiritual character was demonstrated.

Samuel demonstrated spiritual character first

I. IN NEVER CEASING TO PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD

1 Samuel 12:18-23 (KJV)

So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;

And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.

For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

I am sure that everyone in this room will be able to relate to the people of Israel right here.

• • They stubbornly and bull headedly plowed into doing something they knew for a fact that they should not do.
• • Once they got it done though, they immediately regretted the consequences of it and
• • They asked Samuel to pray for them that God would help them through the mess they had created.

This is exactly the cycle that the addict works through – especially early on in their addiction.

• • They know they should not use that drug
• • They use it anyway
• • They immediately feel guilt and remorse
• • They likely cry out to friends and loved ones, maybe even a preacher, to forgive them and to pray for them and to help them never do it again.

Unfortunately, all too often, they turn around and go right back into their sin.

I heard a doctor give his story about his addiction to, do get too upset with me, chocolate.

He said that chocolate was, for him more than a treat. It controlled him. He could not prevent himself from over eating it.

He said that, whenever something would go wrong he would pull out his big bag of Chocolates and satisfy his need for love with his drug of choice.

And he said, after years and years of programs to help him overcome his addiction, he is now “clean and sober.”

While he was addicted he said he would walk into a grocery store, perfectly determined not to get chocolate, but then he would hear this voice inside that said, “Go ahead. You deserve that chocolate. You worked hard today. You should love yourself just as you are.”

• • He was 150 lbs overweight
• • He was battling diabetes and high blood pressure and a host of other problems

But the voice kept saying that was all the more reason to eat chocolate.

His turn happened when he started telling himself that the voice was not his own – it was a squealing pig.

Israel knew it was not good for them to have a king, but that pig kept squealing and they listened until it was too late.

And in the middle of their consequences they begged Samuel to pray for them.

And Samuel promised,

God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way.

Notice a couple of things

A. He promised not to quit praying for them.

• • There is no one 
• • There is no circumstance
• • There is no sin
• • There is no offense

That justifies the Christian to cease from praying for that person.

• • It doesn’t matter how badly you have been hurt
• • It doesn’t matter how many times you have been hurt
• • It doesn’t matter whether they have apologized

A Christian has no excuse to quit praying for a person.

Samuel said that it would be a sin to cease to pray for them.

He said, moreover, that it would be a sin against God to cease to pray for them.

Every sin is a sin against God but some sins are directed toward a person.

• • Murder
• • Theft
• • Slander

God says that to stop praying for someone who has rebelled against God is a sin against God.

To cease to pray for them would be as terrible a sin as the sin we think justifies our not praying for them!

There is a sin that 1 John says is unto death and we should not pray for that.

I believe it is the sin of rejecting Christ as Saviour.

We should pray for a person who rejects Christ to repent and be saved.

But if a person dies still rejecting, we should not pray that God will let them into heaven anyway.

Samuel promised that he would not quit praying for them.

Secondly he promised

B. That he would teach them “the good and the right way”

In other words he was not going to let them go about their sin unchallenged.

He promised to keep up his preaching and teaching ministry and he promised not to compromise his message.

That leads me to point number two.

Samuel demonstrated spiritual character second,

II. IN NEVER FAILING TO REBUKE SIN

1 Samuel 15:16-23 (KJV)

Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Nobody enjoys being rebuked but we have to admire a man who will do it anyway, when it needs to be done.

King Saul began his reign in what looked to be a promising way.

• • He was head and shoulders taller than everybody so he presented himself as a formidable leader
• • He was humble and selfless
• • He was not trying to make a name for himself

But that quickly changed.

As time went on, King Saul became increasingly self absorbed and defiant.

At one point he became impatient and did Samuel’s job and then lied about why he had done it.

In this case he ignored the directions of the Lord and saved out the best of the Amalekites.

And when he was confronted he pushed back at Samuel and said,  “Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

But the people….”

• • First, he spoke back to the man of God
• • Second, he compromised God’s Word and justified it
• • Third, he shifted blame to the people instead of himself

Notice Samuel’s rebuke:

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

A. He pointed to the heart of the Lord

Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Do you live to bring delight to the Lord?

We think wrong.

• • We measure everything from the standpoint of what we can or cannot do.
• • We ought to measure things from the standpoint of what brings delight to the Lord

B. He urged obedience

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

God is not interested in empty religion.

• • Obedience isn’t doing what you are told.

• • Obedience is having the nature of God.

C. He condemned rebellion

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry

Disobedience to God in some small way is no better than sinning against God in the biggest way imaginable.

D. He handed down the sentence

Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

This was not his sentence, it was God’s.

Samuel was simply faithful in delivering it.

A spiritual person will not avoid using the chastening rod whenever it is appropriate.

Samuel demonstrated his spiritual character 

In never ceasing to pray for the people of God

In never failing to rebuke sin

Finally, Samuel demonstrated his spiritual character 

III. IN NEVER PUTTING HIS TRUST IN MEN

1 Samuel 16:1-13 (KJV)

And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

This is an intriguing look into the heart of Samuel.

A. He loved Saul

• • Remember that Saul was the choice of man and not God
• • Remember that Saul was intended by the people to replace Samuel as their leader and judge

Samuel’s role in Israel is forever changed because the people demanded a king.

• • King Saul was a problem for Samuel
• • King Saul had habitually lied to Samuel

Yet for all that, Samuel loved him.

Samuel was a man’s man and was willing to do the hard thing.

But I tell you; I would rather be known as one who loves people than one who is hard on them any day of the week.

• • I hope I am known for standing
• • I hope I am known for truth
• • I hope I am known for unbending allegiance to the Word of God

But 

• • I pray I am also known for genuinely loving souls.

B. He anointed David

Of course, he anointed Saul too.

What I see here is that his true loyalty and his faith was in the Lord and not the earthly king God placed over them.

I have spent the better part of four years now researching our nation’s presidents, especially the founding fathers.

• • I have discovered a number of our Presidents were men of great character.
• • I’ve also discovered that we have had some presidents that were such rotten scoundrels it's a miracle our country survived

George Washington and John Adams are favorites.

I much prefer Adams to Jefferson

James Garfield might have been the best president our nation has ever had, if he had not been assassinated so quickly.

Chester Arthur gives me hope that the coarsest of men, even in high places, can repent

I like Eisenhower

I like Reagan – for a number of reasons

I like George W Bush – perhaps not so much for his politics as just because I think he is a very good man

But what is true of every single one of them is – they are just men.

• • They rise and they fall
• • They come and they go

And even if they are truly wonderful people, 

• • They eventually die.

The lesson is that our faith, our hope, our trust, must be in God and not men.

Conclusion

Samuel demonstrated his spiritual character 

• • In never ceasing to pray for the people of God
• • In never failing to rebuke sin and
• • In never placing his trust in men

God grant that we be spiritual.