The Lord Brings Low and..

This morning we are considering 1 Samuel 2, a section that begins before where Sherry was reading in 1 Samuel 3. As we begin, I want to ask a question. Have you noticed when pastors are mentioned in headlines, it's something I pay attention to, it's interesting how they normally make headlines. Nine out of ten times it's for doing something foolish. When was the last time you heard a report of a pastor remaining faithful? It happens occasionally. A pastor will retire after a long ministry in a church or the church is doing something significant in the community. But you rarely hear a report of just the regular faithful work of a pastor. And I want to say that that's right. That's reasonable. You don't make headlines being faithful to what you're supposed to do. The faithfulness of the work of ministry, whether it be a pastor, a deacon, a member, a Bible study leader, whatever it is, it doesn't make headlines because you're doing what you're supposed to do. The reward comes from the one who calls. Now, when someone, in a foolish way, abandons their post and brings shame on the name of Christ, sadly that does make headlines. This morning we're actually looking at two different kind of reports. We just heard from 1 Samuel 3 a report of a young man who's growing in the grace of the Lord, who's growing in the favor of the Lord, who hears God's call, who answers God's call, and then makes God's Word known. The other report that's alluded to here in 1 Samuel 3 that we're going to hear more about in 1 Samuel 2, it's a warning. Those who scorn the sacrifices of God, We're going to be looking at Eli's house. We're going to be looking at Samuel's life and Hannah's house. Last week we looked at Hannah. She was a woman who could not have a child. She was burdened with this. She prayed to the Lord, and the Lord blessed her, and she gave that child over to His work in the temple. And there is Eli with his two sons, and the word of the Lord is rare in Israel because the priest God has put in position to proclaim that word are selfish. They're not giving. If you're with us, we're looking at the, the Book of Samuel. That begins in the Pew Bible, page 225. If you do not have a Bible, please take that home with you. That is the Word of God that you need to, to read and believe to receive life. The importance of the Word of God is, is actually the central theme of the text we're looking at. God desires his people to hear his word. Samuel, 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel really go together as one book. And if you look at it, Samuel's the first character. And then it's Saul, the first king, the king that people wanted and deserved. And then it's David, the king God wanted and the people needed. As we consider our text, there's three main sections. First, there's a contrast between these two families. There's a contrast between Eli and his two sons and Samuel. That's chapter 2, verses 12 to 26. There's a contrast, 2, 12 through 26. Then we hear a very stern warning to Eli and the sons. That's chapter 2, verses 27 through 36. And then we hear the calling of Samuel. If you're looking for a one-sentence summary, It's this, God punishes the wicked and promotes the faithful. God punishes the wicked and promotes the faithful. This morning we're going to hear a very difficult to wrestle with warning about being unfaithful. And then we're going to hear a calling in how God promotes the faithful. First, there's a contrast in chapter two, verse 12 through 26. Hannah has prayed for a son, she's received that son. We ended last week with her prayer, and now we're introduced to the different household of Eli, verse 12. Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. Already a very, very bold introduction. already very much teasing what, what is going to happen next? All human beings have worth and dignity being made in the image of God. Worthless means that they, they contribute not to society. They actually take away. That they're not doing their job. They're, they're causing trouble. Notice why they're worthless. Notice why they cannot do the task that they're supposed to do. That is worship. They did not know the Lord. Eli's a priest, his two sons are serving as priests, and the men who are serving as priests do not know the Lord. The custom of the priests of the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come while the meat was boiling with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, give meat for the priest to roast. For he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw. And if the man said to him, let them burn the fat first and then take as much as you wish, he would say, no, you must give it now. And if not, I will take it by force." Here we see the commentary, the God's interpretation. Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord. For the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt. Verse 18. We see a contrast. Samuel was ministering before the Lord. A boy clothed in linen he fought. 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. Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, may the Lord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked the Lord. So then they returned to their home. 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. Now Eli was very old and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel. and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance of the tent of the meeting. And he said to them, why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons, it is not good. Report that I hear from the people of the Lord spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him? but they would not listen to the voice of their father. For it was the will of the Lord to put them to death. Now the boy Samuel continued to grow in both stature and in favor of the Lord and also of men." We see here the contrast. And notice how few words are required for Samuel. He was growing. in stature, and in favor. But, but the kind of sinfulness that, that the sons of Eli, Hophni Phaneser, are committing, the worthless men, they're, they take a lot of words. Take a lot, it receives a lot of report. One family, Eli and his sons, they're, they're set apart for a very special purpose. To know God and to lead God's people in worship. But, but notice the first thing they do. The sacrifices that are being brought, they're, they're taking the best meat for themselves. They're, they're taking what people are bringing for sacrifices to God, and, and, and they're even taking it by force. Before the meat's even cooked, they're, they're not just taking the best meat while it's being cooked. They're, they're taking the meat before it's cooked. And even the people of God are warning them, this is not right. Wait for the fat to be burned. No, we will take this meat, they say. They're, they're bullies. They're supposed to be serving God according to His grace, according to His commandments, and instead they're selfishly taking. They've turned from receiving the Word of God to taking from God. This should remind us of stories that happened before. This is very much like Mount Sinai. Moses is up on Mount Sinai, and God is speaking His gracious words, telling Moses, this is how you are to lead God's people in worship. And God's people are down at the bottom of Mount Sinai, and what are they doing? Everything God says not to do. They're forming a graven image. They're giving it credit for what God has done. And it takes Moses, the mediator, to seek forgiveness for them. God gives instruction, and it's gracious instruction, and His people are supposed to be led according to that instruction. Not according to our own selfish, man-made ways. The men are also like what we're gonna see in the future for Israel. Ezekiel 34 is one of the most clear passages. God looks down and He sees the priest and He says, they're only feeding themselves. They're shepherds who do not feed the sheep. They're only feeding themselves. And then there's this gracious word God says. I will come down and I will punish those shepherds. And I myself will be their shepherd. And if you remember in John 10, what does Jesus say? I am the Good Shepherd. There's a, there's a sweet picture we're going to keep seeing here. God desires for his people to be fed. He himself is going to come down to feed us. Jesus, he's not just a prophet. He's the very Son of God to be the final prophet, the perfect revelation of God, the perfect feeder of God's people who gives us bread that satisfies. Whenever there is someone who is not feeding the sheep, he will remove them and he will hold them accountable. And he will insist that his people are fed his word according to his word. Be of good courage this morning. God desires you to grow by feeding on his word. Notice that they're only abusing this sacrificial system that God has put in place, where the people will bring their choice meats, their choice first fruits to give a Thanksgiving offering, and they're stealing those things for themselves. Look at verse 22. Eli's old. And notice the reputation. It's always interesting, the kind of rumors you'll hear. It's rumored. I've been told. Your, your, your infamy is abounding in terms of what people are hearing. You're lying with women who are coming to worship at the temple? This is just practicing paganism. This is practicing like the pagan temples where, where they would have cult prostitution. This is making the place of worship where God is being honored, and people are going to come safe to hear the Word of God and worship God. It's a brothel now. Because these two men who do not know the Lord are not leading God's people according to His ways. Verse 25 really gets to a significant point. Eli, an old man, warning his sons, reasons with them. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate. All right? So, so, so, so God has set up ways in which we're supposed to be reconciled. Notice the contrast. But if someone sins against the Lord, who will intercede? Who will intercede? Well, firstly, their sin is, is against God and his sacrifices. These sacrifices are important for us, we know, because they're pointing to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the true name of God, who will take away the sins of the world. But here, they're sinning against the very sacrifices that were meant to bring forgiveness and reconciliation and restoration. Eli, the father who cares for his sons, but not enough, is warning them. Why do you do these things? Why are you performing such evil? Do you not realize there is no hope for you if you continue in these practices? God is his own mediator. I want to point you to Galatians chapter 3. Paul makes this point. But he makes it by saying, well God is his own mediator. The Father has sent His Son, and they've sent the Spirit. God has come to bring reconciliation to us for all the sins we've committed against God. But, but if we're going to, to scorn and kick against and have contempt for the very sacrifice, the very, the very saving power of God, then, then we can't be saved. He does bring about a great salvation. But we must respond. Notice how the boys respond. This is essential. End of verse 25. But they would not listen. Listening is an essential practice and discipline of being a disciple. Through Matthew 18, Jesus says if somebody sins against you, you go and talk to them. And what happens before you go to the next step? They don't listen. If they won't listen, you then bring another witness. If they won't listen, then the church treats them like an unbeliever and a tax collector. Listening is essential. Now, I just want to affirm something. We're all listening to somebody. We're typically listening to ourselves. We're typically listening to our own self-justification and their own loopholes that we create as to why we don't need to obey, or why we're better than this person, or why that is just a wrong charge, or we're really not that bad. We're regularly listening to ourselves and our own reasoning as to why we're okay. There's something that's very important we have to understand. The problem with us is on the inside. Turning inward to listen to ourselves is only going to help the problem. God's solution comes from outside. Listening to a word from God that might be through another brother or sister, or listening to the Word of God from a father who warns. Receiving correction well. Listen. Who do we listen to? And who gives us the kind of correction that we need? Now there's something else here that, that explains why they would not listen. And it's, it's difficult to wrestle with. For it was the will of the Lord to put them to death. What kind of God wills to put someone else to death? Here I want us to understand God is not causing them to sin. It does not say that. God is handing them over to their sin. God is not ever, God has never, God will never punish someone for sins they did not commit. But we do know from Romans, it's very clear, God does give some people over to their sin. He removes the grace that's required for us to actually recognize sin and repent of it so that we could listen. It's hard to see that God would choose to remove that grace so that these two young men who are abusing His sacrifices would not be able to listen. But, but that shouldn't startle us. What should startle us is this. That anybody is given the grace of God to hear His Word and respond by faith. We should constantly be responding, and can it be that, that I would actually receive as such a sinner the grace to believe and receive forgiveness? God punishing somebody for sin. That's, that's right. God forgiving somebody for sin. That's, that's mercy. And He does so because He sent His own Son to become sin for us. We see a very hard warning that we need to meditate upon. It could be that we become so committed to our sin that God does give us over to that sin. And that is a terrifying place to be. And if you're in a place where you're not listening to anybody, you might be in that place. That's a hard warning. But I believe it's a warning that comes off the page of God's own word. As we look at this, I just wanna see the big picture here, though. God doesn't leave his people in that place. He's establishing the boy Samuel so that his word will go out. He's called the boy Samuel. He's blessed Hannah's closed womb with the boy Samuel. She's blessed Hannah with other children, praise God. But Samuel, who's faithful, who's receiving the favor of the Lord, he is going to be the answer to the problem that God's people need God's word. Notice there's a clear contrast. Samuel's growing in stature and favor with the Lord. The two sons of Eli, they're growing to be a stitch, verse 17, to the Lord. Let's just pause here before we move on to the next point, and I want to speak to the young people. If you are a young person or identify as a young person. Consider here the trajectory of Samuel. Consider here the life pattern. If you want to be used by God, if you want to know the Lord and be a blessing, consider growing in stature in favor of the Lord by being faithful to whatever He's called you to do. And let me be very clear, young children, the first and foremost thing God's called you to is to listen to your parents, honor them, and obey them. They're good for you. Listen to your parents so that you would hear the Word of God, you would hear helpful correction, and you would grow in the favor of the Lord. It is immature to demand selfishly like these two priests are. Right? They're taking and they're demanding. No, we're going to have this meat. We're going to take it by force. That's childish demanding. Don't set that as your pattern. There's something important we need to realize, that Samuel, he's going to grow and he's going to be a dependable man of God. Children, realize that growing and maturity doesn't mean you become independent, that you become more dependable. Adults, that should be something we learn. Growing and maturity doesn't make us more independent, it makes us more dependable. Samuel is growing and he will be dependable in such a way that no word of his will ever fall. All of Israel is going to be filled with his word because of his faithfulness. Our second point. That was a contrast. We see a bit of a warning, but it's going to get more intense. Our second point is the warning. Verse 27, a different scene. We heard just a basic contrast of what's going on. Really, really chapter 2, 12 through 26, that's the context for what happens next. Verse 27, and there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, this isn't an angel, it seems to be a prophet. Man of God is usually a title for a prophet. If it were an angel, the angel would say, do not be afraid. And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, thus says the Lord, Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt, subject to the house of Pharaoh? Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. Why then do you scorn my sacrifices? and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling. And honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel. Therefore the Lord of God declares, I promise that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever. But now the Lord declares, far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will not be any old man in your house. Then in distress you will look with envious eyes on the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel. And there shall not be any old man in your house forever. The only one of whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out, to grieve his heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men. And this, that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phanias, shall be the sign to you. Both of them shall die on the same day. And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house. And he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, please put me in one of the priest's place that I may eat a morsel of bread. We see here the sons and the way they're abusing the sacrifices. We see Eli as a father should, right? Eli's a complicated character. He warns his sons. Why do you do this? Do you not know there's no mediation for you? What we see next is not a prophet going to the sons, but a prophet going to Eli. A prophet going to Eli and confronting him because he hasn't actually given his sons proper discipline. There hasn't been consequences for their action. He should have removed his sons from the office. He knows what's right. He just isn't acting on what's right. Notice what the prophet says. Goes all the way back to Egypt. The great deliverance of Israel. But, but he doesn't actually mention deliverance. He doesn't mention salvation at all. He says, I revealed myself. I put people in position to minister before me so I would be known. I called your fathers, Moses and Aaron, to be the line of the Levitical priests that would lead my people, a lot of my's in there, into worship. God desires to be known. I revealed myself. I revealed how worship is to happen according to my way. I want to be known. Be faithful. Notice the charge and the challenge in verse 29. Why then? Why do you scorn my sacrifices that I've commanded? The word scorn there means to kick. Why do you kick against? Why do you, why do you stomp upon? Why do you, why do you treat as worthless the sacrifices that I have established? And again, these sacrifices are sacred because these sacrifices we know are pointing to the true Lamb of God who are going to take away the sins of the world. What it symbolizes is what makes it sacred. This would be like if somebody decided they were going to drink all the grape juice before communion. Right? Selfishly, they're going to consume the entire gallon of grape juice for whatever reason. Just selfishly, impulsively desiring their own good so that the church couldn't take communion that Sunday. It'd be like that. And it's just grape juice, but it's what it symbolizes. Us partaking of the blood of Christ together. It's a clear warning. Why do you kick against what God has made so clear? The next picture is even more direct. Why do you score my sacrifices that I've commanded in my dwelling? And honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering. Now that goes back to sticking the fork in and taking what they want, or taking the meat that they want before it's boiled or cooked. There's something going on with Hebrew here that's really revealing. The word fat is the same word for glory. Weightiness. You make yourself fuller. You, you fatten yourself with the things that are supposed to glorify God. It's a turning of the phrase there that, that really makes this message so palatable and, and terrifying. You're taking the things that are meant for glorifying God and you're glorifying yourselves. You're taking the things that are meant for the purposes of praising the Lord and you're praising yourselves. What a picture. They're glory thieves. They're literally taking offerings that are meant to be for God, according to His Word, and they're selfishly saying, I want it for me. They're not just worshiping the wrong God in the wrong way. They're saying, I want what is God's and to take it for myself. It's like Adam and Eve. They stopped receiving good things from God and they want to take what God has not given them. This is a hard challenge for us today. This is a hard moment of self-reflection, self-inspection. How are we like these two sons? Are we glory thieves? Are we glory thieves? Do we take what is God's, and instead of seeing it as God's, do we, do we see it as something we want to consume? I think what's going on with, with the two sons is this. They don't believe God's promise. They don't believe that God, when He promises, if you hunger and thirst after me, I'll satisfy you. They don't believe God's promise that I am the God of love, and if you pursue me and you worship me, I will bring you peace and comfort and joy and satisfaction. They don't believe God's promises so they don't obey Him. They believe themselves. I want what looks good to my eye. I want what looks like it would be satisfying to my gut. I want to take the glory. To me first, maybe God afterwards approached the life. Here's a warning for us, we as Americans, we really love comfort and convenience. Right? We love comfort and convenience. The, the love that Christ shows us, the love that Christ lets us enjoy, the joy that He promises, it isn't found in the coziness of our comfort. It, it's found in the commitment to obey. If you want joy, obey. If you want to experience the love, obey. Let me be very clear. You, you don't obey so that you are loved. You, you obey so that you enjoy that love. Now, many of you may be sitting here, this doesn't apply to me. You know, the priests, they're leaders. This is about pastors. Okay. If you're a church leader or aspire to be a church leader, this is a harsh, real warning. Same thing we see in 1 Peter 5. Don't lead out of a compulsion or a selfish ambition. Do not see that you're trying to feed on the people so that your cup is full. No. You feast on the king. You devour his word and are full so that your cup overruns and you feed others. There's a higher standard and a higher judgment for those who would lead. We need to hear this warning not to be like Eli and his sons, but to be like Samuel. But don't challenge all of us. We're all priests. In Christ we are now all called to be priests. We're all called to represent Christ. More so, I would actually say, we're now all called, according to Romans 12, to be living sacrifices. Not being conformed to this world, transformed the rule of our mind. To know the will of the God. To, to, to, to seek to bless others. One of the most important truths we have to receive as Christians is that we are blessed to be a blessing. Christ satisfies, not when we're indulging in our selfish pursuit, but Christ satisfies when we're seeking His kingdom and, and seeking to make Him known. What's happening here with this, you're fattening yourselves instead of glorifying God? It's a, it's a mirror. It's a mirror to consider ourselves in. We live in an age that insists upon self-esteem, self-expression, and self-satisfaction. Let's just face that. That is a reality. Go to the bookstore. It's all about your self-esteem, self-perfection, and self-help, and self-satisfaction. And this is what Paul says, if there is no resurrection, go for it. If there's no resurrection, that's the best you've got. Go for it. But if Christ is risen, He's conquered sin, He's given us new life, He's at the right hand of the Father, He sent us the Spirit, there is a more satisfying life. We don't have to try to steal from God to bring satisfaction, we have to serve Him. and learn to be satisfied. As we consider this book and its bigger theme here, there's something that just jumps out that is extremely encouraging. Verse 35. And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. Now, now, he's made it very clear, these guys are going to be punished, and he makes it very clear, your two sons will die on the same day. That's going to be next week. We're going to see that very soon. God's Word does not return void. What He promises is going to come to pass. This is a prophet giving a clear prophecy. It's going to come to pass. This is also a prophecy. Verse 35. I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in my heart and my mind. Now here's what's encouraging. God wants us to have a faithful mediator. God always wants his people to have a faithful prophet, priest, king, and pastor. And Samuel is obviously the fulfillment of verse 35. Right? We all see that. He's going to be the one who stands in the place and replaces these priests. But he's not the final replacement. There's going to be another priest who's going to actually have a forever ministry. It's Jesus Christ. The great high priest who himself is going to come down and be the perfect great high priest because he's going to enter into the actual Holy of Holies. He's going to suffer the one sacrifice that then is forever. There is no more sacrifice after Christ. Because He offers His own perfect life for our sins, so that we can be forgiven. What, what this declaration is pointing to is Christ. And we see Samuel as just a little bit of a shadow, a, a prefigure of the great ministry He will provide. Be encouraged this morning. As we look at this, we look back, God made himself known. God does not stop making himself known. The question we have to ask ourselves is, have we stopped pursuing knowing God? Or if you're not a Christian this morning, do you know God? Do you know Him in the way that Samuel would? You're growing in His favor by rejoicing in who He is and what He's done. You're going to suffer the kind of punishment the sons of Eli suffer. Do you know God? Because of one of the most clear truths of Scripture, He is making Himself known. Finally, we see the calling. the calling. We've seen the contrast. We've seen these two families. They're, they're, they're intermingled. They're intertwined. One is a bad example. One is in the right direction of what God's going to do. We see a calling. Verse 1 of chapter 3. 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. Okay, we, we, we're going to, going back to the problem restated. Why is there, why is the word of the Lord rare? Probably because the priests are more consumed with their own appetite than they are proclaiming things of God. God doesn't want that to be, and so he fixes the problem. At that time, Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 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. And notice we see here callings. Verse 4, the Lord called Samuel. Verse 8. Verse 6, the Lord called Samuel. Verse 8, the Lord called Samuel. We see callings over and over again. Verse 4. The verse 2, Samuel jumping out of bed in the middle of the night to go hear from Eli. No, he's a, he's an eager, obedient young man. He thinks it's Eli calling because he does not yet know the Lord. All right, that's an important context. He does not yet know the Lord, so he doesn't know his voice. So when the Lord calls, he thinks it's his, Eli, his kind of father figure. And it takes Eli three times. Oh, all right, I think I get what's going on here now. Okay, so this is what's going to happen, Samuel. Whenever you hear it this time, Say, Lord, it is, speak, your servant hears. Verse 10. Okay, that's a turning point here. Samuel is now going to, instead of getting up and asking Eli, he's gonna respond, speak, Lord. Notice what the Lord says to him. We assume he's a teenage boy. Eli is the priest who is in charge of the temple and his father figure. This is the first message God gives Samuel. Behold, I'm about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. It's going to be loud like the buzzing of bees in the air. It's going to be a loud breeze that everyone hears. On that day, I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house from beginning to end. And I will declare to him that I'm about to punish his house forever for the iniquity that he knew because his sons were blaspheming God and he did not restrain them. Therefore, I swear to the house of Eli that the inquiry of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever. It's quite a test. Are you going to be a faithful prophet, Samuel? Can you imagine a harder first prophecy? To go to the man who leads the temple worship that you serve under, to go to the man who really functions as much as anybody else as your father, and to give the prophecy that God is going to punish him, remove him, and there is no atonement. This is, he's committed what would be equivalent to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. They blasphemed the sacrifices of God. And notice there very clearly, Eli did not restrain them. He let them continue in that position to practice these, the scorning of the sacrifices. Verse 15, Samuel lay until morning. He opened the doors of the house of the Lord and Samuel was afraid. to tell the vision to Eli. Of course. But Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel my son. And he said, here I am. Eli said, what was it 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. 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. There's two things here that are pretty remarkable and pretty complicated and hard to wrestle with. The first is more encouraging. Samuel's gonna be a faithful prophet. He is going to say what God desires his people to hear. He's not going to function out of fear. It doesn't mean he doesn't have fear. He's afraid. But a fear of God is always going to be greater than the fear of man. He's going to say what God would have him to say. And we see there, verse 19, and he grew, and the Lord was with him, and none of his words would fall to the ground. Chapter 4, verse 1. And the word went out to all Israel. God who desires to feed his people, to speak to his people, to be made known to his people. Samuel is that man. Praise God. Eli is way more complicated and difficult. A tragic figure. He's a man who, who knows the Word of God. He's a man who understands what's wrong with his sons. He's a man who cares enough to go confront them, but he, he isn't A godly enough man who loves God enough to change. Even the last words we hear from him in this passage. It is the Lord, let him do what seems good to him. He recognizes God's good. He recognizes that justice is right. He's defeated, but, but not at this moment. He's defeated because he never heard the warning of God and acted upon it before this. This is a terrifying place. To know the things of God, but not to love the things of God. To embrace the truth of the things of God, but not to live them out and act upon them. Eli is a warning. It appears he is not only going to be judged because he's enabled his sons, he himself is going to be judged because of the way he participated by not removing them. He knew it was wrong, but he would not change. That is a terrifying picture. Brothers and sisters, what are we to make of this? This is an amazing story. God judges those who sin. God calls those to proclaim His Word. God promotes and provides for those who are faithful. The first thing is this. Be encouraged. God makes Himself known. Be encouraged. God makes Himself known. And here's the, here's the most encouraging thing. He's the perfect communicator. He makes Himself known. He does not fall in His words. He does not stutter like I do. He does not stumble. He makes sure His Word accomplishes what He wants it to do. And He wants you to know Him. He's a perfect communicator who gives an invitation. Come and know Me. Come and be part of what I'm doing in this world. Be encouraged. Because as clear as we see Samuel's calling, as clear as we see Samuel's commission, our calling and commission is so much more clear. Christ, who has risen and has ascended, calls us. to hear His voice and enter boldly into the presence of God, come know the Father in my name. Come and be forgiven because my blood was shed for you. Come and be adopted into the family of God because I'll share my sonship with you. Come and know God, the one who truly delights you, the one who can truly satisfy you. The invitation is clear from Christ. And so is the mission. The invitation of the priest was to know God and make Him known. The invitation of a Christian is to know God and make Him known. Here's the most basic instruction that Christ gives you. Make disciples. That is the one clear instruction that Jesus gives to all disciples. Okay, we could look at deny yourself, take your cross, follow me. That's important. That's a central way of making disciples, but you have to be a disciple to make disciples. But here's the main point. God's Word goes out through God's people. We are meant to be instruments of God, each one of us, who are helping make other disciples. We do this by proclaiming Christ. We do this by encouraging one another. We do this by, by being present regularly and singing songs with one another. We do this by praying with one another. We do this by teaching our children. We do this by, by coming and inviting people into our homes. The invitation, Christian, is clear. Come and know Me. The assignment and mission is clear. Go and make Me known. What an honor. To not only know God, but to make Him known. It requires that we listen to the Good News, And then we can form our lives and our words to proclaim that good news. Will you pray with me? Father, what a weighty warning. Lord, for Help us to see the way we do indulge in glorifying ourselves instead of glorifying You. Help us to see the way we're too distracted to sit and listen and meditate upon and receive Your Word to know You. Help us to see all the ways in which You've given us opportunities to make Your Word known, but are too distracted or too busy. Lord, we thank You for this gracious invitation and assignment to know You and make You known. Lord, I pray that we would be faithful so that You would promote Your name through us. Protect us, Lord, from being like those sons of Eli. Protect us, Lord, from our own sin that is selfish and seeks satisfaction according to our wisdom and our way. Help us, Lord, to delight in Your Word and rejoice that we get to proclaim it and make you known. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.