God Speaks New Things

TITT: The words of God are not received or understood.

Eli, the appointed priest, was getting older and losing his eyesight. Maybe his hearing?

Eli’s sons had wrongly taken the choice meats of the sacrifice offerings, and abuse women who worked at the Tabernacle entrance.

Eli had rebuked his sons, but he did not remove them from priestly duties.

1 Samuel 2:27–36 NIV

27 Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? 28 I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. 29 Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’ 30 “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. 31 The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age, 32 and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age. 33 Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life. 34 “ ‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day. 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always. 36 Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.” ’ ”

God no longer speaks to Eli, or Eli no longer listens for the word of God.

God’s will seems to have changed, but did it?

How were other people supposed to be blessed by Eli’s corrupt sons?

Transition (Text to World): Sometimes, we have a hard time hearing or accepting what we are told.

TITW: Sometimes, we have a hard time hearing or accepting what we are told.

When people we love (intimate with) call our attention:

They first call us from afar.

They use our names (sometimes our full names).

They us language that we can understand.

When we don’t first understand, they try again, and get closer to us, if possible.

They are patient and take time to make sure we understand.

But, when we understand and refuse to break an agreement, we will lose their trust to hear them.

Transition (Trouble to Grace): Eli broke trust with God, because he heard what God said about his sons, and did not punish them in a way that would preserve the honor God.

GITT: God spoke to Samuel about new things.

Samuel was sleeping in the presence of the Lord, near the Ark of the Covenant.

This is an intimate position of availability before God.

Hints at being a trusting the presence of God as a safe place.

The presence of the unfaithful sons did not discourage him.

At first, God called Samuel from a distance; Then, God came close to him and called to him.

God calls his Samuel from a place of nearness in intimacy.

God draws near to Samuel, so that he will listen more closely to him.

Samuel does not yet understand that it is God who calls him.

He had not experienced God in that way.

Eli instructs Samuel that the right position before God is in humility of service.

Samuel honors God with his posture of nearness and listening.

God calls Samuel in place of Eli and his sons.

The greater grace would be given to the whole people of God, rather than just the house of Eli.

Transition (Text to World): It’s not enough to hear from God, we must honor God with our obedience if we are to continue to receive the blessings of God’s will for us.

When Jesus called his disciples, they were called to “come and see” from a place of nearness and to act out of obedience to what they had seen and heard, and by that they will see many great new things of God.

John 1:43–51 NIV

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

GITW: God speaks new things to faithful listeners.

God calls the unknown faithful to be known by him, and from the “low” places, to the most high places.

We need to position ourselves to receive the words of God.

Open our hearts to God.

Stay near the people and places of God.

Trust in the power, plans and purposes of God, even when they seem to change.

Rest in the peace of God.

Honor God’s words above any others.

We receive the words of God to be a blessing to others, not simply for ourselves.

We need to give God’s words away, that all may come to be made new and see great new things of God.