1 Samuel 3:1-21

“CALLED AND CALLED OUT”

June 12, 2016

First Baptist Church

Jackson, Mississippi

USA

What’s the number one thing?

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The Glory of God!

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1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

June Memory Verse

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

References

• ESV (English Standard Version) Study Bible (Wheaton, IL, 2008).

•Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN, Holman Bible Publishers, 2003).

•Website: gotquestions.org

Sunday School Lessons for June, July & August

•1 Samuel – The story of Samuel as Prophet and Judge through Saul reign as King.

• Israel entered Canaan with Joshua in 1456 B.C.

•Birth of Samuel 1105 B.C.

•Birth of Saul 1080 B.C.

•Birth of David 1040 B.C.

Introduction to 1 Samuel

• Theocracy – Form of government in which God directly rules.

• Israelites – Theocratic structure that followed the laws given to Moses (Mosaic Law) by God.

•Priests – Instructed people in the law of God.

•Prophet – Called by God to speak to His people.

• Judges – Administrators of Justice, Warriors.

Introduction to 1 Samuel 3

•1 Samuel 1 – Samuel’s mother (Hannah) dedicates Samuel to the Lord’s service.•1 Samuel 2 – Hannah’s Prayer.

– Eli’s wicked sons (Hophni & Phinehas) are deliberately disobeying the rules for meat sacrifices and committing adultery with women serving the Tent of Meeting.– Prophecy against the House of Eli.

1 Samuel 2:18-19 (Samuel’s Childhood)

18 Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. 19 And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

The linen ephod and the small robe:

• The linen ephod was worn as a symbol of one who was in service to God (shorter than the one worn by the high priest).

• The “little robe” was a knee-length seamless garment worn over your undergarment and under the ephod.

1 Samuel 2:20-21 (Samuel’s Childhood)

20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, "May the Lord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the Lord." So then they would return to their home.

21 Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.

1 Samuel 3:1-3

1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 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.

The Lamp of God

“and the word of the Lord was rare in those days, there was no frequent vision.”

• Samuel was about 12 years old or older.

•During the time of the Judges (400 years), there are only 2 prophets mentioned (Deborah in Judges 4:4 and an unnamed prophet (Judges 6:8).

•Only 5 revelations are given in The Book of Judges.

•God is silent during times of disobedience.

Location of Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting)

• Tabernacle was still the tent built by the Israelites during the time of Moses.• It contained the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of

Holies.• Joshua located it at Shiloh after entering the Promised

Land.•David relocated tent to Jerusalem and Solomon built

the stone temple structure.

Tabernacle at Shiloh

1 Samuel 3:4-7

4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, "Here I am!" 5

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.

6 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, my son; lie down again." 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

1 Samuel 3:8-10

8 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 boy.

9 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.

10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears."

When God or Jesus calls your name twice!!

• “Abraham, Abraham…” Genesis 22:11

• “Jacob, Jacob…” Genesis 46:2

• “Moses, Moses…” Exodus 3:4

• “Martha, Martha…” Luke 10:41

• “Simon, Simon…” Luke 22:31

• “My God, My God…” Mark 13:34

• “Saul, Saul…” Acts 9:4

Jesus makes convicting statements about calling on Him!!

•Matthew 7:2121 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

• Luke 6:4646 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?"

1 Samuel 3:11-12

11 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. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.

1 Samuel 3:13-14

13 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. 14 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."

1 Samuel 3:15-17

15 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. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." And he said, "Here I am." 17 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."

1 Samuel 3:18

18 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."

What has happened here?

1. Samuel is growing up in the temple as a student and servant under Eli’s guidance.

2. Samuel obviously can see the disregard Eli’s sons have for their father and for God.

3. Samuel is not influenced by these brothers.

4. God has been mostly silent until now.

Why would God tell Samuel the prophecy about Eli’s sons?

• Eli had already been told about the judgment against him and his sons.

•God is calling Samuel into service.

• Samuel’s courage and maturity is tested.

• The repetitive message from the “man of God” to Eli confirmed Samuel’s calling for Eli.

1 Samuel 3:19-21

19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. 21 And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

“from Dan to Beersheba”

“and let none of his words fell to the ground.”

• Samuel was “CALLED” as a prophet and blessed by God.

• Samuel’s words were reliable and his life reflected God.

•After Eli’s death, Samuel also served in the role of priest until Saul was anointed King.

Eli and sons are “CALLED OUT”

1 Samuel 3:13-1413 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. 14 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."• Eli did not discipline his adult sons who were priests.• The priesthood was removed from his family line.

“his sons were blaspheming God,”

• The NIV uses the word “contemptible” for blaspheming.

•Masoretic text (Hebrew Bible) reads “blaspheming for themselves”.

What is blasphemy?

•Definition = The act of showing insult or showing contempt or lack of reverence to God; act of assuming the rights or qualities of God in oneself.

•Can be verbal or actions (Commandments 1,2 & 3).

• Leviticus 24:14-16 describes it as a capital offense and punishable by stoning by the community.

10 Commandments – Blasphemy by showing lack of reverence for God.

1. You shall have no other Gods before Me.

2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image.

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Why is blasphemy so serious?

• It misrepresents the nature of God – the perfect and Holy Creator.

•Genesis 3:1 Satan used blasphemy in the temptation of Adam & Eve in the Garden: “Did God actually say…?”.

• Satan was misrepresenting God’s words.

What is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?

•Matthew 12:22-32 & Mark 3:22-30

• Jesus has healed a demon possessed man and the Pharisees say, “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

• Jesus replies “all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.”

What is Jesus saying here?

• The Pharisees purposefully attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan.

• The unforgivable (unpardonable) sin here is physically watching Jesus perform miracles through the Holy Spirit and saying that Satan was the source of power.

• This type of blasphemy cannot be duplicated today because Jesus has to be present to blaspheme the Holy Spirit this way.

What is the unpardonable or unforgivable sin today?• The unpardonable sin today is that of continued unbelief

by rejecting the Holy Spirit calling you to faith in Jesus.

• In this way, it is possible to blaspheme the Holy Spirit today.

• There is no pardon for a person who dies in his rejection of Christ.

• John 16:88 "And when He (Holy Spirit) comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:"

Can a Christian commit the unpardonable sin?

• A true believer and follower of Christ cannot commit the unpardonable sin because he/she has not rejected the Holy Spirit.

• Is any sin of your past not forgivable?

• NO!

• God forgives EVERY SIN when you put your faith in Jesus as Savior.

What is the greatest sin?

• The sin of unbelief in Jesus.

• There is no pardon for the person who dies in unbelief.

• John 14:66 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

• To reject the only means of salvation is unpardonable and, in that sense, is the greatest sin.

What is the “Blasphemy Challenge”

•A project of the Rational Response Squad, a group of atheists started in 2006.

• Young people were invited to submit videos recording themselves blaspheming or denying the existence of the Holy Spirit.

•Users who took the challenge saw themselves as crossing a point of no return and would accept the consequences if the Christian God does exist.

Romans 1:21-23 describes the Rational Response Squad.

Romans 1:21-2321 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Romans 1:24-25 continues the description.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Lesson Application

•Does your behavior or lifestyle blaspheme God?

•How?

• Every time we misrepresent our position as children of God, we are damaging His reputation.

Closing Scripture

John 3:1616 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

John 3:16 ESV16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 14:6 ESV6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

Romans 3:23 ESV23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23a ESV23a For the wages of sin is death,

• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life

to pay the penalty for our sins. • The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death

explained in Revelation 21:8.

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

Revelation 21:8 ESV8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Romans 5:8 ESV8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

Romans 6:23b ESV23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Revelation 21:7 ESV7 “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be conquers.

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

Romans 10:9-10 ESV9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:13 ESV13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

If you have questions or would like to know more, Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/