Responding to Grace

Intro:

Turn to 1 Samuel 1:21

**Sorry Grace Chapel Volleyball missed the huge upset, but we tried! Finished in 4th

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(Q) How many of you here today have ever prayed?

[ALL]

(Q) How many of you have ever prayed out of desperation?

**even NONBELIEVERS PRAY at THESE TIMES!

YOUNG ETHAN PRAYING to FIND OWEN...

(Q) How many of you have ever made a VOW to God in prayer?

GOD IF YOU DO THIS for me, I’LL DO THAT for you.

SPARE LOVED ONE…NEVER SKIP CHURCH again

1 MORE CHANCE w/ WIFE....NEVER DRINK again.

WIN LOTTERY…PROMISE HALF to CHURCH!

MARTIN LUTHER—THUNDERSTORM VOW…LEAVE LAW & BECOME MONK

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PERSONAL STORM SCARE—CAPE HENLOPEN && TENT CAMPING… “What kind of husband & father am I???”

See, the DIFFICULTY with THESE MOMENTS in life is that we will often SAY THINGS while UNDER great STRESS that we AREN’T WILLING or ABLE to FULFILL.

GENUINE ISN’T ENOUGH…FOLLOW THROUGH MATTERS

LOTTERY WINNER WOULDN’T EVEN GIVE 10%!! (PART of WHY HE DOESN’T WIN)

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Recap:

Last week:

HANNAH MAKES VOW.

BARREN…badly DESIRING SON.

CO-WIFE ANTAGONIZING as they went to worship...

DESPERATION & VEXATION…MAKES VOW!

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The VOW:

IF GOD REMEMBERS....

GIVES HER SON...

THEN:

GIVE HIM BACK FOREVER

NO RAZOR = CONSECRATION

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End of last week:

HANNAH’S PRAYER—ANSWERED!!.... Baby SAMUEL

GOD HAD CLOSED her WOMB...

Now, the ALMIGHTY, OPENED her WOMB!

So, now the QUESTION REMAINS, what will Hannah do?

*LIKE SO MANY....WILL SHE FALL SHORT & ABANDON VOW?

WILL NEW LOVE for BABY in ARMS OVERRIDE OBLIGATION & COMMITMENT to YAHWEH???

PERHAPS COMPROMISE??— SAMUEL SERVE GOD in RAMAH (AT HOME)??

(T) Well, today we’re GOING to SEE what HANNAH DOES with her CUTE LITTLE ANSWERED PRAYER that she’s now held in her arms.

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Text:

Setting: (v21-23)

1 Samuel 1:21–2:11 (ESV)

21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.” 23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.

ELKANAH heads TO SHILOH (same trip Hannah dreaded b4!)

HANNAH’S ACTION BEGINS....W/ DELAY!

In the PAST....TRIP = DREADFUL…NO LONGER ISSUE!!.....

PENNY’S AMMO = GONE.

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SAMUEL had a ONE-WAY TICKET to SHILOH!

HE GOES…HE’S GONE...

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(Q) WOULDN’T YOU WANT to DELAY TOO??

FINAGLE WAY AROUND VOW...

PROLONG the INEVITABLE...

** SELAH = 3 Y.O…I’M NOT READY for HER to BE 18…CAN’T IMAGINE GIVING HER UP NOW...

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HANNAH — PROBABLY GENUINE...

CONSIDERING CHILD’S NEEDS

W/O CLEAN WATER, etc. BABIES NEEDED MOTHERS LONGER.

CHILDREN WEANED around 3 Y.O. (ish)

DEAD CHILD = NO BENEFIT to GOD…HANNAH DOING MOTHERLY DUTIES...

(T) Now, we see that HANNAH DOES WEAN SAMUEL and WE have to WONDER, is she going to come up with ANOTHER EXCUSE to KEEP HIM a touch longer, or will she FULFILL HER VOW.

Well, let’s LOOK & SEE. The text in verse 24 says,

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Rising Action: (v24-25)

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.

HANNAH FULFILLS VOW & also BRINGS GENEROUS OFFERING

Either 3 Y.O. BULL or THREE BULLS

3X the BASE AMOUNT of FLOUR

20 LITERS of WINE

HANNAH BROUGHT a SIGNIFICANT & SACRIFICIAL OFFERING to the Lord as an EXPRESSION of GRATITUDE and as a RESPONSE to GRACE.

TOPPED W/ with PRESENTATION of SAMUEL to ELI!

SAME MAN who had JUDGED HANNAH....telling her to "PUT WINE AWAY”…(after the vow)

DESPITE THIS…HANNAH FULFILLS VOW!

IMAGINE how DIFFICULT this must have been…PRAYING for YEARS....RAISES SAMUEL for 3-4 YEARS and then SHE GIVES HIM AWAY for the SERVICE of the LORD! Wow!

(T) And then the text says in verse 26,

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Climax: (v26-28)

26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

HANNAH REINTRODUCES HERSELF to Eli… “REMEMBER ME??” the woman praying?

TESTIFYING of ANSWERED PRAYER!

**REMEMBER, ELI NEVER KNEW what the PRAYER was for…& NOW HE’S PRESENTED with the ANSWER!

Eli didn’t know:

the CONTENT of the PRAYER

the VOW, HANNAH MADE

or THAT HE’D BE RAISING the KID!!

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**NOTE... how HANNAH GIVES CREDIT to the LORD.

SHE PRAYED…GOD ANSWERED!

HANNAH & ELKANAH DID THEIR PART....BUT FORMERLY IT HADN’T WORKED...

So, WHEN suddenly her SITUATION of BARRENNESS is TURNED AROUND, GOD GETS ALL the CREDIT.

(Q) WHEN GOD ANSWERS your PRAYERS, are you SURE to GIVE HIM the CREDIT HE DESERVES..?

DO WE TAKE CREDIT for HIS GRACE…??

GOD DOESN’T WANT TO SHARE GLORY!

GOD GIVES us GIFTS....ANSWERS....ABILITIES, etc. yet, EVEN WHEN we DO OUR PART... ultimately we must GIVE GOD CREDIT...

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SAMUEL’S BIRTH = A WORK of GRACE...

HANNAH COULDN’T DO IT ALONE.

NOT of HER MERIT...

GOD COULD HAVE USED ANY WOMAN to bear Samuel…but HE CHOSE HANNAH!

GOD USED a BARREN/HELPLESS WOMAN to BRING this GREAT PROPHET and LAST JUDGE into the world!

And Hannah RESPONDS to this ACT of GRACE by FULFILLING her VOW, by DOING HER PART,

and GIVING the CHILD to the LORD for as LONG as HE LIVES.

SHE HAD ASKED FOR HIM from the Lord, and now the LORD WAS ASKING FOR HIM BACK...

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STORY = BASIS for BABY DEDICATIONS in CHURCH!

HANNAH = MODEL for PARENTS…seeing CHILDREN as GIFTS FROM the LORD…TO RETURN TO HIM!

**DON’T DROP YOUR KIDS HERE for ME/DEACONS to RAISE...

REMINDER: CHILDREN = GIFT from GOD TO BE RETURNED..

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MANY PARENTS “DEDICATE” CHILDREN…yet WANT MORE than ANYTHING for THEM to be SUCCESSFUL by WORLDLY STANDARDS...

Well off

nice house

two cars

garage

college degree or two

nice job

401(k) & health insurance...

But what if that isn’t WHAT GOD DESIRES of them? What if God has SOMETHING BETTER for your children THAN WHAT THIS WORLD CAN OFFER?

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**SOME PARENTS STRUGGLE, KIDS IN MINISTRY

SAME GIFTS in PUBLIC SPHERE = $$$

DEDICATION = GOD’S WILL PREVAILS! WORLDLY STANDARDS SET ASIDE.....

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Ferd Madara- Calvary Bible Church

Daughter in JAPAN as MISSIONARY

**WONDERFUL…BUT DIFFICULT.

HANNAH SHOWS that ALL GIFTS should be RETURNED FOR the LORD’S USE... even children.

This is our RESPONSE to GRACE.

(T) And now, HANNAH is going to MOVE into a LONG PRAYER of PRAISE to GOD for His GREAT WORK in her life && FOR WHO HE IS.

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Resolution: Hannah’s Song (2:1-10)

1 And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

PRAYER BEGINS with REJOICING & PRAISE

GOD had ANSWERED her PLEAS...

Hannah DIDN’T TAKE CREDIT for ACTS of GRACE in HER LIFE...

As an ANIMAL with HORNS LIFTING HEAD HIGH & proud, HANNAH CELEBRATES what GOD HAS DONE...

&& SHE HAD an ANSWER for ENEMIES (PENINNAH)

AMMO = GONE…HANNAH NO LONGER BARREN.

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CONSIDER the POTENTIAL BENEFIT of PENNY:

Without her:

Would Hannah have become so desperate?

Without her desperate prayer, would Samuel have come?

Israel without Samuel??

GOD WILL WORK even THROUGH TRIALS & problems…

USING MEAN WOMAN to DRIVE the GODLY WOMAN to HER KNEES in PRAYER...

OPPOSITION & PROBLEMS in your life AREN’T OUTSIDE the SOVEREIGNTY of GOD!

GOD WORKS through the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY…!

Then Hannah continues and says,

2 “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. 3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.

Hannah CONTINUES by NOTING the INCOMPARABILITY of GOD…

ESP. in HOLINESS & PURITY..... GOD= MATCHLESS.

IN ALL HIS WAYS…HE’S PERFECT.

GOD ALLOWING PENNIES....DOESN’T MEAN HE’S FALLEN SHORT...

WE all are FALLEN, WE all make MISTAKES, we all FALL SHORT, but GOD = PERFECTLY HOLY!!

There is NONE WHO CAN COMPARE to Him!

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2. He’s OUR ROCK

STABLE & STRONG…REFUGE in TIMES of TROUBLE.

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3. GOD = WILLING to HUMBLE the PROUD…&& EXALT the HUMBLE

(Q) Aren’t you THANKFUL you DON’T HAVE to BE PERFECT for GOD to USE YOU?

GOD, who is MATCHLESS in His HOLINESS and PERFECTION, is WILLING to USE US...

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PAUL WROTE—GOD is WILLING to USE WEAK THINGS to CONFOUND STRONG & FOOLISH THINGS to CONFOUND WISE....

**If you don’t think you’re much of anything, you’re the perfect candidate to be used!

Hannah’s situation:

GOD USED a BARREN WOMAN

Used an INSIGNIFICANT MAN

FAMILY w/ PROBLEMS...

RESULTING in SAMUEL…a GREAT LEADER!

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IF YOU’RE:

"INSUFFICIENT”—be ENCOURAGED.

PROUD—Be HUMBLE…GOD isn’t PRIVILEGED to USE YOU...

The FACT that GOD USES ANY of US is ALL to the PRAISE of His GLORIOUS GRACE, for none of us deserved it!

(T) And Hannah continues in this prayer and says,

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6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.

GOD = MATCHLESS & POWERFUL

ABLE to KILL & BRING LIFE

MAKE POOR/RICH

HE CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS!!

Remember HE’S the LORD of HOSTS, the LORD ALMIGHTY and there’s NOTHING TOO DIFFICULT for HIM!

(V8) RAISES POOR & NEEDY to a SEAT of HONOR

CONTROLS the UNIVERSE…it’s ALL in HIS HANDS...

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And verse nine says,

9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. 10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

GOD WATCHES over THOSE who are HIS...

HANNAH’S VICTORY/salvation RESULTED from GOD....GOD BEING HER GOD!

GOD OPPOSES & WILL JUDGE THOSE who REJECT HIM...

(V10b) Hannah’s prayer concludes:

GOD can DO WHATEVER HE WANTS to WORK for the SALVATION of HIS PEOPLE...

POINTING to DAVID—Give STRENGTH to KING & EXALT the horn of ANOINTED ONE...

The SMALL VICTORIES in HANNAH’S LIFE gave her REASSURANCE for LARGER VICTORIES DOWN the ROAD!

EXPECTATION of COMING KING...., HANNAH proclaims/PROPHESIES…of DAVID...

DAVID = KING & ANOINTED ONE...CHOSEN by GOD.

HANNAH’S EXPERIENCE = FORETASTE of SALVATION to come VIA DAVID…King & anointed one.

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DAVID was just a FORETASTE as WELL...

FUTURE SON of DAVID...

KING upon the THRONE.

The TRUE ANOINTED ONE, the MESSIAH

JESUS CHRIST...

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Gospel:

GOD USED a BARREN WOMAN to BRING about DELIVERANCE for ISRAEL.....

1,000 YEARS LATER, GOD USED a VIRGIN WOMAN to BRING BABY into WORLD.

God used Samuel

God used David

&& many more

ULTIMATELY, GOD WOULD ENTER His CREATION AS a NEWBORN BABY in Bethlehem.

**NOT JUST SALVATION for HANNAH....for ISRAEL, but the WHOLE WORLD!!

To FINALLY PROVE His FAITHFULNESS & LOVE, to SHOWCASE His GRACE and His PERFECTION, && His INCOMPARABILITY, GOD CAME DOWN...

HUMBLY AS a BABY…AS SAMUEL had…EVENTUALLY to HUMBLE HIMSELF to the POINT of DEATH.

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JESUS = FINAL ANOINTED ONE /KING…WHOM HANNAH & the WHOLE WORLD AWAITED...

HE CAME to BRING GRACE…TO UNDESERVING SINNERS...

And now YOU CAN FIND in HIM TODAY the ANSWER to your GREATEST NEED, that of a SAVIOR.

Rom 5:8; Eph 2:8-10; 2 Cor. 5:21

GOD SAVES NOT by our OWN MERIT…but by MERIT of CHRIST ALONE!!

**DON’T HAVE to BE PERFECT, but FORGIVEN...

**only SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH in CHRIST’S WORK…RECEIVING HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!

HANNAH LOOKED FORWARD ultimately to THAT KING, and HE’S THE KING that WE CAN KNOW TODAY...

(T) And so now our TEXT CLOSES in verse 11 this morning. It says,

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Conclusion: (2:11)

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.

STORY ENDS HERE

SAMUEL REMAINED—PRESENCE of YAHWEH & ELI in SHILOH…WHERE His MOTHER CRIED OUT for Him YEARS BEFORE

HANNAH FULFILLED HER VOW!

(Q) WHAT DO YOU DO with the GIFTS and ANSWERED PRAYERS that God gives to you?

For THOSE WHO KNOW THE LORD…HOW HAVE YOU RESPONDED to HIS GRACE??

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Homiletical Prop:

The GRACIOUS GIFTS that GOD GIVES to us in ANSWERING our PRAYERS are to be RECEIVED with GREAT PRAISE and THANKSGIVING and ultimately RETURNED to HIS SERVICE...

HOW CAN YOU USE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN to YOU in this LIFE, what God has blessed you with in this life, FOR HIS KINGDOM & GLORY??

WHAT CAN WE OFFER in RESPONSE to THE GREAT GRACE WE’VE RECEIVED THROUGHOUT LIFE && @ CALVARY??

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Takeaways:

Learn about God?

GOD WORKS OFF of GRACE.

Weak things to confound strong

Barren becoming fruitful

By nature, you CAN’T BE DISQUALIFIED/UNFIT for GRACE.

GOD is BEYOND COMPARE

PERFECTLY HOLY/SEPARATE

SHOULDN’T QUESTION GOD’S ACTIVITY…He’s NEVER FALLEN SHORT...

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Learn about Us?

If YOU’RE GOING to VOW A VOW, you’d BETTER KEEP IT.

DON’T TRY & MANIPULATE GOD…He already knows the results of your vow!

In WORSHIP, RECOGNIZE the VALUE of the GIVER is HIGHER than GIFT...

HANNAH RETURNED SAMUEL— seeing WORTH of GOD ABOVE the GIFT...

WHEN we LOSE SIGHT of the GRANDEUR of GOD, we CAN FORGET that HE IS WORTHY of our WORSHIP and OUR ALL, REGARDLESS of HOW HE ACTS in our lives.

COMPLETELY HOLY (SEPARATE) NOTHING COMPARABLE!!

GIVER = SOURCE of CONTENTMENT…ABOVE the GIFT...

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Conclusion

Consider:

HAVE you BEEN NEGLIGENT in your PRAISE/THANKSGIVING…RETURNING of GIFTS??

Have you LOST SIGHT of the VALUE of the GIVER?

For at the times that God doesn’t act according to our plans,

WE MUST BE ABLE to THANK the ONE who both GIVES and TAKES AWAY, knowing that in His perfect plan HE HAS WORKED ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD...

We can be thankful for the gifts, but let’s not forget the Giver this morning.

Close in prayer