WHEN GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 17-21

LAST WEEK’S THE BIG IDEA: Our deepest pain can become our greatest sacrifices to God. GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

BIG IDEA: God wants to use His church to break the silence of His word in people’s lives. GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

“The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence “The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence. In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread. One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, was lying in his usual place. Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was located. GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.” He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. Once again the Lord called, “Samuel!” Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

“What was the message he gave you. ” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me “What was the message he gave you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you and do so severely if you hide anything from me that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything and did not hide anything from him. Eli responded, “He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is good.” GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and he fulfilled everything Samuel prophesied. All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear in Shiloh, because there he revealed himself to Samuel by his word.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭3:1-10, 17-21‬ ‭CSB‬‬ GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

“The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence “The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence. In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread.” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭CSB‬‬ What’s the problem? GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE Why was God so silent? The corruption of the priesthood (1 Sam. 2:29-30) God brought judgment on Israel through the prophet Amos by declaring a famine of hearing the words of the Lord GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

“"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord God, "when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it. "In that day the lovely virgins and the young men shall faint for thirst.” ‭‭Amos‬ ‭8:11-13‬ ‭ESV‬‬ GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

“Without revelation people run wild, but one who follows divine instruction will be happy.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29:18‬ ‭CSB‬‬ “He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. ”” Matthew‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭CSB‬‬ GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:16-17‬ ‭CSB‬‬ GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

“One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, was lying in his usual place “One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, was lying in his usual place.” ‭1 Samuel‬ ‭3:2‬ ‭CSB‬‬ GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

When you lose your ability to see, you can fall into the danger of becoming spiritually deaf. When you don’t see and you don’t hear, you lose your ability to discern what is happening around you. In other words, you settle for a life that lies down in your same spot going through the motions. GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

Eli’s ability to not see caused him to not hear Eli’s ability to not see caused him to not hear. Eli was comfortable with his condition that he became non responsive to what was going on in him and around him. GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

Eli became comfortable lying down that his weakness to see lead to his inability to hear God, therefore, the sin in himself and the sin around him caused a morality issue in the church that led to outside the church.---THE CHURCH MUST BE CAREFUL THAT WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM IN THE CULTURE BUT INSTEAD WE ARE THE SOLUTION. GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE What was Samuel’s problem? “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.” ‭1 Samuel‬ ‭3:7‬ ‭CSB‬‬ GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

How many churches today are busy going through the religious motions (lying down) instead of giving honor to the word of God? How many people who claim to know God are busy going through the religious motions and settling with lying down in the temple instead of honoring the word of God? GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

WHEN GOD GIVES US A WORD, WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO SHARE IT WITH THOSE HE ASK US TO. YOUR CALLING OPENS THE DOOR FOR YOU TO HEAR FROM GOD AND FOR OTHERS TO HEAR AND RECEIVE THE WORD OF GOD. GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

“And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭3:19-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬ GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

“Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was located.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭3:3‬ ‭CSB‬‬ GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

BIG IDEA: God wants to use His church to break the silence of His word in people’s lives. GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE

GOD BREAKS HIS SILENCE 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 17-21