Samuel is Called

INTRO – You Matter to God, No Matter Your Age

Hey friends! I’m so pumped to be with you tonight as we dive into Week 3 of our series “Not Too Young.”

In this series, we’re looking at true stories from the Bible about how God used young people in powerful ways. We’ve already talked about David, Josiah, and Jeremiah—and tonight, we’re adding another name to the list: Samuel.

WHO IS SAMUEL? – A Kid with a Calling

Let’s talk about Samuel. His story starts even before he was born. His mom, Hannah, couldn’t have children for a long time. But when God blessed her with a son, she made a promise: she would dedicate his life completely to God.

So when Samuel was still really young, she brought him to a place called Shiloh. At the time, this was where the Israelites went to worship God and bring sacrifices. It was kind of like the spiritual center of the country.

Samuel stayed there and lived under the care of a priest named Eli.

DIG INTO THE WORD – 1 Samuel 3:1

Let’s open our Bibles or Bible apps and check out where Samuel’s story takes off.

“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.” —1 Samuel 3:1 (ESV)

Here’s what that means: Samuel was a young guy, probably middle school age, and he was serving God in the temple. But did you catch that second part?

It says that “the word of the Lord was rare in those days.” In other words, God wasn’t speaking to people very often.

WHY WAS GOD SO QUIET? – A Spiritually Dry Time

If you’ve been with us on Sunday mornings, this might sound familiar. This time in Israel’s history came right after the time of the judges. It was honestly kind of chaotic—like spiritual wild west.

The last verse in the book of Judges literally says:

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” —Judges 21:25 (ESV)

People weren’t following God. They were just doing whatever they wanted. So it makes sense that God wasn’t speaking as often.

But here’s the cool part: that’s about to change—through a young person named Samuel.

Let’s keep going in the story, starting in verse 2:

2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. 6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

Let’s pause here.

So Samuel is just trying to get some sleep, but he keeps hearing someone call his name. Naturally, he thinks it’s Eli—after all, Eli's the only other person around. He’s like, “Yeah? What’s up?” And Eli’s like, “I didn’t call you, go to sleep.”

This happens twice. At this point, Samuel must’ve been thinking either he was losing it—or Eli was playing tricks on him. But here's the thing:

We know something Samuel didn’t know yet— It was God calling him.

And that’s a big deal. Remember, God hadn’t been speaking to people very often during this time. But now He’s breaking the silence, and He’s not speaking to a king, or a prophet, or even to the head priest (Eli).

God is speaking to a young person.

REAL TALK – GOD LOVES USING YOUNG PEOPLE FOR HIS GLORY

Think about this: God could’ve chosen anyone in Israel to speak to. But He chose Samuel—a kid, someone who hadn’t even learned to recognize God’s voice yet.

God didn’t wait for Samuel to grow up. He didn’t say, “Come back when you’re older.”

Instead, God said, “Now’s the time. And you’re the one.”

That’s what this whole series is about:

You are not too young to hear from God. You are not too young to be used by God.

Let’s keep reading:

7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. 8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

Samuel still didn’t realize it was God—and that makes sense. This was new for him. He had never heard God's voice before. Thankfully, Eli finally caught on and helped him understand what was going on.

REAL TALK – We Miss It Too

Let’s be honest: we do the exact same thing sometimes. God might be trying to get our attention, speak encouragement, call us to serve, or nudge us away from something harmful—but we don’t always recognize it right away.

ILLUSTRATION – “The Unrecognized Text”

Just last week, I had a moment kind of like this. I was talking with Tom, our worship leader here at Oakwood, and a few minutes after we finished our conversation, I got a random text.

At first, I was like, “Who is this?” It was a little confusing—just a short message and a contact for a volunteer.

Then it hit me: ohh… it’s Tom! I didn’t have his number saved, so I didn’t recognize it at first—even though it totally made sense once I figured it out.

That’s exactly how it was for Samuel. The message was clear. The call was real. He just didn’t know who it was from—until Eli helped him see it.

THE TAKEAWAY

Sometimes we need someone to help us recognize when God is speaking— through His Word, through other people, or even through that small inner tug on our heart.

What if God has been speaking to you, and you just haven’t realized it yet?

Thats’ part of why small group time is so important here. You have really wise leaders who can help you to recognize when God is calling you! So open up and share with them, and see how much they can help you recognize God’s call.

But not only do we need to recognize God’s call, we need to do something with it!

Let’s wrap up the story and see what Samuel did with this calling from God:

10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” 11–14 Then the Lord tells Samuel something heavy: God is going to bring judgment on Eli’s family. Eli’s sons had been sinning openly, disrespecting God, and Eli hadn’t done anything to stop them. Now, consequences were coming—and Samuel was the one God chose to carry that message.

Let’s pause there for a second…

That’s a lot for a kid to handle. You’d think maybe God would give him a small starter mission, like “Go tell someone they’re doing a good job.” But no—Samuel’s first job is to deliver brutal truth to his mentor. Yikes.

15 Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him.

Can you blame him? He just heard that God’s judgment is coming for the very person raising him—and that he’s the messenger!

16–18 But Eli calls for him and says, “Tell me what God said.” Samuel tells him everything, even though it’s hard. And Eli responds, “It is the Lord’s will. Let him do what he thinks best.”

REAL TALK – GOD’S CALLING ISN’T ALWAYS EASY

Here’s what we see in Samuel’s response:

He was afraid… but he was also faithful.

He could’ve kept quiet. He could’ve left out the hard parts. But he listened to God and obeyed, even when it was uncomfortable.

Let’s be real: sometimes God calls us to do hard things. Stand up for what’s right. Speak the truth. Forgive someone. Help someone in need. And yeah—those things can make us nervous or scared.

ILLUSTRATION – “Tough Conversations at Work”

How many of you have a part-time job or help out with something regularly?

Now imagine this: Your manager or boss is doing something really wrong, and someone says, “Hey, can you go tell them to stop?” Umm… no thanks.

That’s basically Samuel’s situation. He’s a kid, and God’s like, “Hey, go tell your spiritual boss that judgment is coming.”

But here’s the cool part:

God trusted Samuel to carry the message, even at a young age.

God didn’t wait until Samuel was older or had a title. He called him while he was still young—and Samuel listened and obeyed.

THE TAKEAWAY

You don’t have to wait to be older to hear God’s voice. And you don’t have to wait to start obeying it, either.

God still speaks. The question is: Will we recognize His voice? And will we respond with faith, even if we’re afraid?

So what about you? Samuel’s story isn’t just about something that happened a long time ago—it’s an invitation for you today.

God is still speaking. He’s still calling. And you’re not too young to listen, respond, and do something meaningful for His kingdom.

You might not hear an audible voice in the middle of the night like Samuel did—but God can speak to you through His Word, through people in your life, through your circumstances, and through that quiet tug on your heart.

The Cross and the Call

Now here’s something even bigger—God doesn’t just call us to do things for Him. He first calls us into relationship with Him.

Samuel’s first response was “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” That was a turning point.

For us, that moment comes when we hear God’s voice through Jesus—who came, died on the cross, and rose again to bring us into relationship with the Father.

When Jesus gave His life, He didn’t just save us from sin—He invited us into a life where we can actually hear God, follow His voice, and walk in purpose.

So before anything else, the call is to know God. To believe in what Jesus has done for you. And once you do that—you can start saying, like Samuel did, “Speak, Lord, I’m listening.”

So let’s get super practical.

📌 How Can You Start Listening and Responding to God’s Voice?

1. Slow down and listen. Set aside just 5 minutes a day this week to sit quietly, pray, and say,

“Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.” Then wait. Listen. See what God might bring to your heart or mind.

2. Ask someone for help.

Samuel didn’t recognize God’s voice because he didn’t know Him yet. Don’t try to figure it out alone.

→ Talk to your small group leader or a trusted adult. Ask: “How do you know when it’s God speaking?” or “Where do you see God at work in my life?”

3. Say yes to opportunities to lead and serve. Sometimes, God’s call comes through open doors—opportunities that stretch us and grow us.

→ This summer, you can serve as a counselor at Kids Camp. It’s a real way to love others and help younger students see Jesus in you. → And in the fall, you’ll have the chance to apply for our Student Leadership Team. If God is stirring something in you to step up and lead, be bold and go for it.

Bottom line?

God doesn’t wait for you to grow up before He calls you. He’s looking for hearts that are ready to say, “Speak, Lord. I’m listening.”

And He just might be calling you.