Harbor Presbyterian Church - Downtown

“Fixing Society, Step Three:  The Call to Lead”

1Samuel 3:1-21

Introduction

How many of you are an “arm chair” something?  You know, someone who watches someone else in leadership and criticizes them relentlessly, implying how much better job you could do than them?  Maybe I really should ask your spouse or good friend about you?

It’s really easy to be critical of leadership.  It all started with “arm-chair quarterbacks,” people who would be the greatest quarterbacks in football history if someone would just recognize their brilliance and give them a job.

We have “arm-chair politicians,” who would literally bring heaven to earth if the people in charge would listen to them. 

We see this in work.  We all know more than our bosses, right?  We all know better how the company should be run? 

You know how to parent everyone else’s kids, right?

Have you ever had the experience where you were given leadership?  How’d that go for you?  It’s so easy to criticize leaders.  The problem is that leadership is much more complicated. 

Some of us have the desire to heal and fix things at work, in our communities or in society, but we don’t really know how to actually makes things better.

Others of us actually have the knowledge and expertise, but we lack the boldness or the confidence to step out and lead. 

In our text, we’re going to see that God really is the great developer of leaders.  We’ve been seeing how God fixes society in this series on 1 Samuel.  First God gets individuals to line up with him.  Second, God brings judgment against evil leadership.  Third, today, we’re going to see that God breaks into our lives and builds us up so that we can provide the leadership that is needed where God has called us to serve. 

In our text, God is removing Eli and his sons for their evil leadership.  This is a good thing.  Who will replace the evil regime? 

In international politics, I’ve always heard that you never assassinate a leader unless you’ve already got his successor picked out.

Samuel is the best choice we’ve seen, but he’s just a boy, isn’t he?  Is he ready to lead the nation? 

As God works in Samuel’s life, training him to lead, we’re going to see how God works in us, turning our service into leadership as we embrace the power of God at work in our lives. 

1. The Darkness Won’t Let Go Without a Fight
2. God’s Light Breaks Through to Call Us
3. Light Changes Us From Servants to Leaders

 

1. The Darkness Won’t Let Go Without a Fight
   1. It’s Dark
      1. Scene is set at night.  Darkness.  This sets the tone.
      2. V2—Eli’s eyes were so weak he could barely see—Physically he is what we’ve already seen him to be spiritually.

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  This phrase (eyes weak) is the same as in verse 13 (rebuke).  This connects failing sight with failing parental authority.

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      3. V3—Lamp of God was close to going out.  The lamp stand in the tabernacle signifies the presence of God among his people, like Moses’ burning bush.  The lamp not out yet parallels Eli’s fading eyes.  It was like what the priests were doing in ch2, robbing people of their relationship with God.
      4. Samuel doesn’t know God.  Sam had experience serving,   He had favor with God and men, but the heart was missing from his priestly training.  In spite of all his service in the temple, he acquired no knowledge of God.  Same thing is said of Eli’s sons in 2:12, but there—it’s willful disobedience.  Here’s it’s simply ignorance—never been exposed.  #Are you in one of these camps? 
         1. Sometimes I think these two groups might actually be one, because most people who have rejected Christianity often haven’t ever been exposed to the real thing.  When I talk to people who don’t believe in Christianity or in God, I like asking them, “Which God do you not believe in?  What exactly do you hate about Christianity?”  When they answer, usually, I get to say, “Oh, I don’t believe in that God either.”  Or, “You know, I had that too.  I don’t think that’s genuine Christianity.”
   2. It’s Silent
      1. V1—“the word of the Lord was rare”—silent darkness
      2. V1—“not many visions”—silent darkness

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  Silence of God is his judgment. But this judgment is because he has been pushed out, people don’t want his word. 

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  Darkness is bad, but silent darkness is worse.  Nathan and his fear of Jurassic park.  Fear of the dark.  I was sitting outside so at least he could hear me.  Again, darkness is bad but if you can hear a voice—not so bad.  Do you feel that?  Does God seem absent in your darkness?  Do you wish you could just hear him, then maybe you could face your darkness?  This is how the people felt…

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   3. We’re Locked in
      1. When God calls, Samuel has no idea it’s God
         1. Spoke audibly, and Samuel still didn’t know it was him

    *YOU?  Friend? coming to church?  Coworker?

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      2. Eli, the PRIEST, can’t help Samuel—that’s bad.  Priests are supposed to help you connect to God.  Priests and pastors are supposed to help you discern God’s personal address to you.  But here’s there’s none of that.
      3. This is proof that it’s no simple matter even for God to get through to the people in the temple.  God spends 10 verses seeking out Samuel… finally Samuel hears and they connect.
      4. Conclusion:  the cycle:  no word, bad priests.  All of this works together so that you can’t hear God, and you have no desire to think of God.
         1. The barren spiritual life at Shiloh parallels the barren womb of Hannah from chapter 1.  Samuel is God’s response to both. 

 

2. God’s Light Breaks through to Call Us

Three things make all the difference for Samuel.  And they make all the difference for us, too.

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   1. God’s Character
      1. God is patient:  He kept calling Samuel
      2. God doesn’t tirade Samuel for not getting it.  He doesn’t give up on him.  God is patient and kind.  This is a true glimpse of the heart of God himself.  He is willing to give us time to understand him.  He knows our weaknesses, that we are just dust.  He’s not holding a stop watch to us and impatiently wondering WHEN are we going to wake up and get it?
      3. This hit me like a ton of bricks this week.  When it’s time to clean up the house or a part of the house, I turn into the anti-Patient Dad.  I get soooooooooooo frustrated because it takes sooooooooooooooo long to clean up a room.  The kids pick up one thing at a time, then they stop and begin pretending with a toy they’re supposed to put away.  Then they think they’re done and it’s obvious to ANYONE with eyes that they are not.  Then I think, “They’re eyes are dark like Eli’s—so must their hearts be!” 
      4. And this happens EVERY TIME!!!  That means I’m justified, right?  Because I’m always telling them… right?  WRONG!!!  This shows me that I’ve got wrong expectations.  Lainie has been telling me this for weeks, months.  Now I know she’s right.  Seeing God handle Samuel with this patience, without getting frustrated with him, “Fine, don’t listen to my call… I’ll  find someone else.  Or I’ll take you, but now you’ll know I’m really disappointed in you.”  This text has changed me this week.  I’ve been forced to see God’s character revealed in this text, and I’m forced to preach it, so I was forced to repent of it!  How about you?  Where does this picture of God’s character call you to task. 
      5. One author said, “People who think of God as a gruff, efficient, impatient sergeant  need to know this.”

 

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   2. God’s Word
      1. God initiates (he speaks).  *Where is he speaking to you?
         1. That God speaks is the basic reality of Christianity:  Not so much that God is but that he speaks.
         2. “In his words, the invisible God becomes audible.”  Heschel, The Prophets, 22.
      2. God invited Samuel into his council
         1. This was a characteristic of the office of a prophet.  They were invited into the heavenly council chamber of God.  This was announce already to Eli in ch2.  Now Sam is being let in to God’s thoughts and intentions.
         2. This gives Samuel both confidence, and competence.
   3. God’s Presence

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  God was with Samuel’s ministry

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      1. He grew up with God (19a).
      2. All his words came true (19b).  True prophet.
      3. All knew everywhere that he was the real thing. 

 

3. Light Changes Us from Servants to Leaders

This is the wrong way to say this because the best leaders serve.  But what I’m saying here is that as you serve, and as you experience God and his presence, you will become someone who earns a platform to speak to others.

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   1. Your heart for people reflects God.
      1. Samuel loved Eli, didn’t want to tell him the bad news.  He’s caught in the dilemma only a true prophet knows.  He must speak God’s words, but he loves the one to whom he must speak. 
      2. This hits me most hard in the areas when I feel like what I’m going to say isn’t going to be understood.  Paul says, “Don’t let your good be evil spoken of.”  When I feel like I’m sharing truths that people aren’t ready for, then I feel bad because I know they’re going to come away with a wrong idea of who God is. 
      3. But, we need to remember that if God is real, it makes sense that his word is going to make us uncomfortable at times, won’t it?  If the preacher NEVER gets in your kitchen, is he doing his job?  Surely, we all have areas where we need to grow. 
      4. One author, “If a preacher never puts you under the criticism of God’s word, never tells you your sin, but only smothers you with comfort, you must wonder if he’s a phony.”  Dale Ralph Davis, p47.
   2. Leadership or influence starts small, but your reputation will grow
      1. All Israel knew that Samuel was a sound, effective, confident leader.  From north to south—everyone knew.
      2. This chapter spans probably 20 years.  At the beginning Samuel is still a young man.  By the end of the chapter, all Israel knows that he speaks for God. 
         1. Went from v1—no word from God.  Now v21 regular word from God.  He speaks to his people.  We have the blessing of his word.

 

God didn’t bring judgment against Eli immediately.  He waited until Samuel was mature enough to fulfill his leadership role.  Before judgment is executed, God gives assurance that there is a new mediator, who is altogether suited to his task. 

So where is God calling you?  Where is he calling you to step up a lead?  What’s on your heart?  What needs healing in your life? in your neighborhood?  In the city?

Is your heart social renewal?  Our Mercy Ministry can help you experience God’s heart for justice and mercy and apply his word to those needs.

Is it cultural renewal?  Our Faith and Work Ministry can help you experience God’s heart for cities, the marketplace, arts and culture, and it’ll help you learn to apply his word to those needs.

Maybe it’s spiritual renewal?  Come talk to me, to Mark/Chad, to a team leader and get involved with helping us grow this church to better care for our family here.

All this puts us at the feet of Jesus.  Jesus is the word of God embodied in a human body.  Samuel and his ministry points us to Jesus—through him we can experience God and understand his word. 

And his promise is the same to us—he is with us in all that he calls us.  He is with you when he calls you to lead through the darkness.