Are you Recieving? 1 Sam. 3:1-18

Old TV Static

Kids today do not know the struggle of only have 5-12 channels of tv. My kids don’t even understand the concelt of a channel. Everything is on demand streaming now. But for those of us here in the room who are in the know we remember analog tv. Trying to get the bunny ears in just the right place so as to not see the static. Technically you can still get those old bunny ears to work, so long as you have the digital converter box.

Think about how every day there is a constant state of em waves that we cannot even see all around us everywhere. And there’s more than just tv and radio nowadays. We are living in a Wifi, Cell Phone, and Satelite GPS world, and we don’t even notice.

It reminds me of the truth we are looking at tonight in 1 Sam. God is still speaking, but are we recieving.

1 Samuel 3:1–18 (NKJV)

Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”

And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.

Then the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!”

So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.)

And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.”

Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”

Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!”

He answered, “Here I am.”

And he said, “What is the word that the Lord spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.” Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”

God Still Speaks (1, 4)

When the people live in sin, they don’t hear God’s voice

Amos 8:11 (NKJV)

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,

“That 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.

When the people don’t expect Him to speak, they don’t hear God’s Voice

(Pharasees in Jesus presence)

(cell phone on silent)

Even if you don’t hear God’s voice he is still speaking

a word was rare not missing

Ezekiel 2:1–5 (NKJV)

And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.” Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me. And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

His Voice is Powerful (11-14)

1 Samuel 3:11–14 (NKJV)

Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

It’s the Voice of Creation

Genesis 1:1–3 (NKJV)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

It’s the Voice of Judgement

Matthew 7:21–23 (NKJV)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

It’s the Voice of Salvation

Acts 9:4–6 (NKJV)

Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Are You Recieving? (8-10)

Recieving Requires Dedication

Are you willing to cut out the distractions to hear God’s voice?

Recieving Requres Desire

Are you hungry to hear God’s voice? Do you really want it?

Recieving Requires Direction

Do you know His voice?

John 10:3–4 (NKJV)

To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

Recieving Requires Decision

Are you willing to do what he asks?

1 Samuel 3:15–18 (NKJV)

So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!”

He answered, “Here I am.”

And he said, “What is the word that the Lord spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.” Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”

Conclusion

The reality is there are there are many voices calling for our attention today. Many things to pull our attention away from hearing God.

Yet, God still speaks today. He speaks through his written word. He speaks through the Holy Spirt. He even chooses to use people as conduits of his Voice. Are we willing to recieve? To truly listen for his voice. Some of us here need to take some time and get away from the noises. To really take the time to tun into God’s voice through prayer, through Bible study.

Some of us have heard his call, but we haven’t responded yet. Haven’t been willing to take that step of obedieance and follow wherever he leads.