Hearts that Can Hear (1 Samuel 3:1-18)
On April 27, 2011—15 years ago tomorrow—my family and I lived in Alabama. In the middle of the night, tornado sirens woke me. We lived in a large county, so I checked to see where the tornado was, and the hook echo was on the other side of the county. I decided to monitor the storm and allow everyone else to sleep.
Then the wind shifted big time. The wind got loud and started whipping around our apartment building. Well, I jumped up out of bed, woke Tammy, got the boys, and we hunkered in the hallway for a long time. We fared well that day, but 316 people died in the 2011 Super Outbreak, the largest tornado outbreak in recorded history.
Have you ever been awakened by some noise in the middle of the night? You might have heard an ambulance or a firetruck near your home. Maybe you jumped straight up when the phone rang, only to learn it was a wrong number. Did your smoke detector ever start chirping in the middle of the night? Has your neighbor ever thrown a loud party? Or what about neighborhood kids setting off fireworks way after bedtime?
Samuel heard a noise in the middle of the night—he heard God’s word. Samuel’s experience demonstrates: “You need to hear God.”
Scripture (1 Samuel 3:1-18)
verse 1:
God did not frequently speak to people during the period of the judges, of whom Samuel was the last. The Israelites often abandoned God; it seems, therefore, God did not speak frequently to them.
verses 2-7:
Eli’s sleeping in the tabernacle indicates that he was a widower without a wife to help him; the infirmed Eli couldn’t see. Samuel slept in the same hall “where the ark of God was,” likely because there was nowhere else for him to sleep.
The LORD twice called for Samuel, and he ran to Eli. That makes perfect sense because Eli was alone and couldn’t see.
verses 8-9:
Eli finally realized Yahweh was calling the boy, so he told Samuel to respond to the next call with, “Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.”
verses 10-14:
When the Lord spoke for the fourth time, Samuel told him to speak, for he was listening. And Samuel learned that God would punish Eli and his sons for their iniquity.
Application
“You need to hear God.” You will not hear God audibly as Samuel did. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Heb 1:1-2). And that Son said faith would come from the apostles’ words: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word” (Jn 17:20). Jude urged his readers “to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Because the faith “was once for all delivered,” you shouldn’t expect any other word from God.
Yet, you must hear the word of God through Scripture. How do you hear God? Follow Samuel’s example.
One: Peaceful
The word of the Lord came to Samuel while he was in Peaceful sleep.
You must spend time in Scripture when you are Peaceful. Get away from the hustle and bustle of life and hear God’s word. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10). Get off to yourself and read Scripture. Turn the TV off. Put the phone down. Get away from the household noise. Open Scripture and spend alone time with your Father.
Two: Petition
Samuel thought Eli was calling him, and he ran to his elderly mentor. Because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to Samuel (1 Sam 3:7), the young boy needed to Petition Eli and learn.
When studying Scripture, you may need to Petition others for help. When Philip asked the Ethiopian eunuch if he understood Isaiah 53, the eunuch responded, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31).
Our elders can guide you. An elder must be “able to teach” (1 Tim 3:2). “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Tit 1:9). When you need help understanding the word, Petition an elder. No one in the congregation is more equipped to help you understand Scripture than an elder.
Three: Primed
The fourth time Samuel heard Yahweh, the young lad replied, “Speak, for your servant hears” (1 Sam 3:10). Samuel was Primed—ready—to hear the word of the Lord.
You must be Primed to hear the word and open the Book. “Long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Pet 2:2). When you are Primed and longing for that word, you will get in that “pure spiritual milk.” You will make studying and knowing Scripture a priority. How Primed are you for the word of God?
Four: Painful
The word Samuel heard was Painful. Yahweh told Samuel how he intended to punish Eli’s household; afterward, Samuel couldn’t sleep and “was afraid to tell the vision to Eli” (1 Sam 3:15).
The Painful word of the Lord may not be what you wish it to be. “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). You may not like what you read in the word of God. It may call out a sin you enjoy. It may call you to a standard of living you find uncomfortable. Scripture will cut you, divide your soul and spirit, and discern your thoughts and intentions. That word is often Painful.
Five: Proclamation
The painful word Samuel heard warranted Proclamation: “Samuel told [Eli] everything and hid nothing from him” (1 Sam 3:18).
The word you hear warrants Proclamation: “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Col 1:28). Paul and other early Christians proclaimed Jesus—the very core of the word. To whom will you proclaim that core?
This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.