Sound Doctrine

Guest (Male): We were all created with a thirst to get to know God. Here is Pastor Jeff Johnson.

Jeff Johnson: We're coming to a time again where it's been 20 or 25 years and man is finding himself empty with the things of this world. We're finding the kids now, the generation coming up, are searching and seeking after spiritual things because our soul thirsts for God, for the living God. There is that which is in us created by God that will only be satisfied by God. We keep on trying to shove everything else in that doesn't fit.

Guest (Male): If you take a good hard look at the state of our nation, you could easily be left discouraged. Our condition is not unlike the nation Samuel grew up in. The Word of God was often rejected in those days due to the rebellion and unbelief of the people. We see that all around us today.

In the midst of it all, Samuel received God's call for his life and experienced a fruitful ministry. The same can come true for you and me if we're willing. Today on Sound Doctrine, we bring you the call of Samuel found in 1 Samuel chapter 3. Here is Pastor Jeff Johnson.

Jeff Johnson: 1 Samuel chapter 3 this morning. The first three chapters of 1 Samuel are a beautiful tribute to godly mothers everywhere. It is no different with the last two than this one right now this morning, as you're going to see as we get into it. Like I said, we've been talking about parenting and we've been looking at two different families. We've been looking at Elkanah and Hannah and their son, Samuel.

In contrast, we have also been looking at Eli, who at this time was the high priest. He had two sons who were also priests. All of these sons grew up in the temple, which is very interesting. It is supposed to be a very beautiful, holy place, a place of protection and a place to hide out in, but we know better. We talked about it last week, that in the place that you think is holy, there are greater pressures.

The enemy is there with his evil influence, even in church. Even as he is here this morning, whispering in ears, trying to get people distracted and keeping them away from the Word of God. There are evil influences everywhere you go in this world. Even in Sunday school and in Christian school, we talked about that.

Last week we also looked at how Samuel somehow got through these evil influences with victory. We talked a lot about how it had a lot to do with the home. Let me say this, I'm not saying that godly parents guarantee godly children. I don't think you can do that, but it sure helps.

In fact, if you look at the Shepherd to Sheep in the bulletin, I quoted two scriptures in 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 5. Paul is talking to Timothy and says, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in you, Timothy, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunice, I am persuaded that in thee also." I want you to see how it was handed down through grandma, through mom, and to Timothy.

Then over in 2 Timothy 3:15, "And that from a child, Timothy, you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." He was raised this way. His home was this way. I think that has a lot to do with how children turn out. So we've really been emphasizing this throughout these last few weeks.

Samuel had a very loving mother who reared him in the ways of the Lord and in the fear of the Lord. In fact, Samuel had a healthy fear of God. He grew strong in the Lord and had favor with men. But in contrast, we looked at Eli's sons, who were very corrupt. They were fleecing the flock, taking advantage of those in the temple and ripping them off.

They were very evil and were causing the people to sin themselves by misrepresenting God. They would rebel against their father and wouldn't listen to his counsel. Eli didn't have the greatest counsel. He was an indulgent father that just kind of slapped their hands and said, "Oh, shame on you. You shouldn't do this." Then he would go off his regular way and didn't change things. That's not parenting.

Eli was like this, but they wouldn't listen. They rebelled against their father. The next thing we see is God's judgment on Eli's house, and he loses his sons. This is a sad thing to happen, but it's very common. Many are losing sons and daughters, especially today. As you look at our society today, we are the first society to have a generation of youth genociding fellow youth.

Youth are killing the youth. It is the first time it has ever happened. Sons and daughters are being lost all of the time. There is a war going on for young hearts. Eli lost his kids because, as it says in the scriptures, he lightly esteemed the things of the Lord. He didn't think they mattered or that they would change anything.

He didn't honor the Lord in nurturing and raising his children up in the morals of the Word of God. He didn't train them, and he didn't admonish them. He didn't rebuke them and use himself as an example, saying, "Children, how I live, you follow after me." He didn't raise them in the counsel of the Lord.

It goes without saying that during this time, Israel was in a great state of spiritual decline. Their high priest and the priests, who were supposedly the representatives to God for the people, were as corrupt as ever. Corruption was entering into every phase of life. If you look at our leaders today, you kind of wonder what has gone on.

Look at where this nation is headed. Just look at the leaders and look where their heads are at. That is why we need to pray for them. A godly leader was very vitally needed during this time. God was raising Samuel up. He grew strong in the Lord. Now we see every godly mother's dream come true as we see God now calling her little baby, who was about 12 years of age during this time, to serve him and to do his work.

There is nothing more important for a godly mother than to see her son or daughter grow up in the ways of the Lord and serve him. In chapter 3 of 1 Samuel, we see that Samuel is learning how to hear God's voice and call on his life. The child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. The word of the Lord was precious in those days, and there was no open vision.

These were days of corruption. The people were not drawing near to the Lord, and so of course God was not going to draw near to them. If you will not draw near to the Lord, the Lord will not draw near to you. They were turning their backs upon the Lord. So God's word was very scarce. It was very rare in those days.

In other words, there was no prophet to encourage them, to exhort them, or to comfort them with the word of the Lord. It was hard, tough times. There were no revelations and no visions. Yet you read the Old Testament and the New Testament and you see visions and revelations given constantly, but not during this time.

It is interesting that in Hebrews chapter 1, the writer says, "God, who at sundry times and in different ways spoke in times past to our fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." Yes, God used dreams. Yes, he used visions. Yes, he used prophets. But there was a time and a season for those things. Now he has spoken to us through his Son.

If you remember the transfiguration, when Jesus was brought out in his glory before the disciples, remember Moses was there, representing the law. Elijah was there, representing the prophets. But notice what God said during that time. He said, "This is my son, hear him." In other words, don't hear either one of these guys. Now I'm bringing forth my Son. You need to hear his message because of what he's going to do, and that will save you. That will change your life.

Man's problem today is no different than it was back then. He's always seeking to fulfill this nagging void that he has. He is always seeking happiness and joy. When it's not a spiritual thing, he is going after materialism and physical things. We see it over and over again, one generation after another.

In my generation, I was raised with a family that went through the Depression, so my parents wanted to make sure that I had everything physically possible. They would give me a bike as I grew up. I always had a bike. I can never remember not having a bike. They gave me things. But then when I saw their drinking and their partying, I said, "That doesn't look like fun either." I joined the culture that I was raised in and I dropped out.

That was what the whole slogan was. Just drop out of society. We were not happy with the way things were going and the way you were running this place, so we were just going to drop out and we were going to go back to simple things and forget materialism. Then that evolved and now you've got the yuppies, and they are going for it with everything that is in them.

But we're coming to a very interesting time. We're coming to a time again where it's been 20 or 25 years and man is finding himself empty with the things of this world. We're finding the kids now, the generation coming up, are searching and seeking after spiritual things because our soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Because there is that which is in us created by God that will only be satisfied by God.

I went after spiritual things. It's interesting as I was giving my testimony the other night at one of the crusades, I shared about how I grew up as a hippie and went into the drug scene. This girl came up to me afterwards, and after I shared about all the different gurus and philosophies I was studying under, she said she really identified with what I was saying.

She was about 17, with a leather hippie jacket and flowers in her hair. I'm looking at her, thinking, "Deja vu. What are you, a young hippie?" She said she went after all the gurus and had been using LSD and searching through drugs. She dropped out and was just seeking spiritual things. She just came to the Lord. What a blessing to see that it's getting to a point again where there is a generation that is crying out.

They are sick and tired of everybody saying that it is the things you have in your life that make you happy, because that is a rip-off and that's a lie. It is not money. It is getting right with God. But I tell you something, this has opened Pandora's box because we are talking about opening it up to everything from New Age things to all these weird false messiahs like the Jim Joneses and the David Koreshes. A lot of people are being led off as the cults are growing like never before.

It seems like what happened in the early church is happening again. The early church talked about the birds, always a symbol of evil, flying and coming into the tree, referring to the church as that tree and settling themselves within the church. Paul even said, "I am so concerned that when I leave, from amongst yourselves will come perverse false prophets teaching things to lead you astray."

They are all around. The warning of the Antichrist coming. If there was ever a world that was prepared for miracles and signs, it is our world today. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 9, it says, "Even him," talking about the Antichrist, "whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders."

He's going to come on the scene as a spiritual giant. If you're not grounded in the Word of God, you're going to be ripped off. You're going to be taken away by this man of miracles. So many people are being so trained and prepared for this man to come on the scene. But I'll tell you something that's in common with all of these false prophets and all of these things that are not of the truth.

Number one, they do not love the truth because Jesus is the truth, and so they do not love Jesus. Number two, the Word of God is scarce and rare with every single one of them. In fact, in Jonestown, when they walked among the bodies and searched the area, they didn't find one Bible. When you get away from God's word, you're opening yourself up to incredible deception and danger.

Now I want you to notice when the Lord here in Samuel 3, verse 1, spoke to Samuel. Notice it's when he was ministering to the Lord. It is interesting that in the New Testament, there is another story about these guys who were gathered in Antioch. This is in Acts 13. It says when they were there, they ministered to the Lord and they were fasting. Then the Holy Spirit said, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them."

When we're ministering to the Lord and seeking the things of the Lord, the Lord then can speak to us. When we're praising the Lord and worshipping the Lord. He says, "If you will seek me with your whole heart, you will be found of me." As he sought the Lord, the Lord came to him.

Verse 2, "And it came to pass that at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, his eyes began to wax dim and 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." Samuel was sleeping in the other room. Eli was old. He was deep into his sleep. The lantern was going out. It was early morning and dark still.

This is when God speaks. It's when you're still before the Lord. Be still and know that I am the Lord. As we get away from everything and everybody and as we're still in our prayer closet, God can speak to us. It's a beautiful time, separated unto the Lord. Notice again where God is speaking to Samuel. It is in the temple of the Lord.

When God's people are in fellowship, he speaks to us. In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, it says that our bodies are the temple of the living God. He can speak to us as we gather together collectively as the body of Christ. Through the psalms or through the worship time, the Lord is speaking to you. I've had people come out to me after the service and say the psalm was so awesome. I'm thinking, "What about the message?"

They got blown away at the psalm reading, and God spoke to them. I have had people come up afterwards and say the message was exactly what they needed. They would ask, "Who called you and told you about me? It was like you were pointing right at me. Did someone call you?" I said, "Nobody called me." They asked how I knew, and I said the Lord knows everything. He brings us together here because he loves us and by his spirit he wants to speak to us.

Don't forsake gathering together, especially in these days as we know the Lord is coming back. We need to gather all the time and hear the voice of the Lord. We need to be spoken to by God's word in our praise time and worship time, through the prayers that are shared. This is a time of growth. This is a time when God can speak to us.

In verse 4, the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here am I." Notice who the Lord speaks to. He doesn't speak to Eli, the high priest. He speaks to this kid who's asleep in the next room. I thought that was interesting. Jesus said we must become as children. Childlike in our ways and with our faith. Just trusting the Lord. Looking to the Lord and in expectancy, looking to God to do something and to answer our prayers.

As kids, they wait for Christmas. When that day gets there, they're torn up inside. They're just going, "Is Christmas ever going to get here?" That night is excruciating for kids. They just lay there and they wonder. They know mom and dad are going to come through, but it is tearing them up. So what we usually try to do is open some presents a few days ahead of time and relieve the pressure a little bit. We're talking about expectancy and they're expecting to really get it. So should we be before our God.

He hears our prayers and he is a good father. But I'll tell you, sometimes he speaks and we don't recognize him. Samuel's having this problem here. God's speaking to him and he doesn't recognize his voice. Do you remember when Mary was in the garden and she was weeping and crying, "They've taken away my Lord. I don't know where he is."

She's sobbing convulsively. This man comes up and starts to talk to her, and she thought it was the gardener. Finally, he says, "Mary." She said, "Lord!" You know how you pick up a phone and somebody says your name, you pick up on who it is. She knew it was Jesus. Remember on the road to Emmaus? These two guys were leaving and just couldn't believe that this great prophet was crucified and dead. Jesus was walking right behind them.

As he was walking right behind them, they didn't recognize him. He began to speak to them, and they didn't recognize him until they brought him home and asked him to have some lunch with them. He sat down with them, they began to eat, and through that time of communion, it says that their eyes were opened. They said, "You're the Lord!" But they didn't recognize him at first.

Remember on the Sea of Galilee? They were on the boat and they looked out there and said, "It's a ghost!" when it was the Lord. That's how we are. We don't see it. We don't recognize it sometimes. God help us to be open and to be ready. At times God will use others to speak to us. He'll use them as his channels to minister to us his word and his direction for our lives. So let's not forsake fellowship. Let's gather together as the family of God and let God speak to us.

Verse 5, he ran unto Eli and said, "Here am I." He goes to Eli thinking Eli called him. "Didn't you call me?" Eli says, "I didn't call you. Why don't you go to bed?" So he went and he laid back down again. See, Samuel didn't recognize that voice of the Lord. Eli says, "Not me." This is Samuel's continued education. He is being educated here how to hear the voice of the Lord.

Samuel was very faithful with the little things. He did everything he was told to do. He was always busy about the things of the Lord, and he was faithful with the little things that God gave him. Now God's about ready to give him more. That has to do with every single one of us. God gives us things, and if you'll be faithful with the things he gives to you, he'll give you more.

Look at verse 6, the Lord called again, Samuel. Samuel rose and went into Eli. "Wake up, Eli. Here am I. Did you call me?" And Eli is going, "Kid! You wake me up again..." He says, "My son, will you go to bed?" Verse 7, "Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord."

Very interesting statement. "Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him." Samuel was young, but he was very faithful. He continued to minister to the Lord and work for the Lord. I want you to notice, he still didn't have a real experience or revelation from God.

I don't know the age of accountability. We know that there is an age of accountability where a person is responsible for his or her sins. You know you're a sinner and you need to get right with the Lord. Only God knows what that age is. As parents, we seek to raise our children in the ways of the Lord. When they are of that age so they can pray and receive Christ, we pray with them and they receive Christ into their heart and start serving and loving the Lord.

Guest (Male): What an awesome responsibility we have as parents to direct our kids toward a relationship with Jesus Christ. This is Sound Doctrine. We pray you've been blessed by what you've heard today. 1 Samuel is filled with practical insights for Christian living. If you'd like to hear this study again, go to sounddoctrineradio.org or listen through the Sound Doctrine podcast app.

You can also hear Sound Doctrine on oneplace.com and wherever you enjoy podcasts. That includes Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you'd like to get behind what we're doing and donate to this radio outreach, you can do so at sounddoctrineradio.org by clicking the give tab.

Thank you very much for your support. It's greatly appreciated and will be put to good use helping others build their lives on the sound doctrine found in God's word. More from 1 Samuel chapter 3 next time here on Sound Doctrine with Pastor Jeff Johnson, a presentation of Calvary Chapel Downey.