The Promise of New Beginnings...

New Series… “A Firm Foundation.”

In the first 6 months or so we are going to be looking at the Old Testament, with many references, allusions and foreshadowing of the life of Christ, The Apostles and first disciples.

I promise I am not going to go to deeply into the Theology of the Old Testament. Although that will naturally creep through.

I am going to be hopefully laying out for us an Old Testament ethic. How the decision makers in the OT decided what or what not to do.

What drives the followers of Yahweh to make decisions and what can we learn from them?

Their First Call to obey God --Obeying God!! — The Ten Commandments set the standard

How can we use these 3 simple steps in following God

Following God!

(1) obedience to God's will;

(2) natural law; and

(3) the imitation of God.

As soon as they got it they started finding very self serving ways around them

As a result groups of people began to be drawn in different directions.

What was the correct interpretation of the commandments?

How absolutely did these need to be followed?

Who was going to be my guide for the interpretation of these commands?

You see… Even is the earliest recorded times people were trying to be The King, the scribe, the warrior, The Prince/Princess.

What God wanted for was… Obedience to His law.

To be obedient is an action in response to what God has already done. As followers we should respond to God in obedience.

Four obligations to God and

Six obligations to the community and people that we live with.

Easy, peasy right?

These ten are just the beginning. The “10 words” as they are referred to in Deuteronomy 4. Under the best of conditions the people live by the letter and more importantly the spirit of the commandments.

Under the worst of times

Some of the leaders of the time, kings, princes, landowners, slaveowners ALL had their “version” of the law that met their needs.

This was NOT what God wanted… In part this what God said to Moses.

God was pursuing His people to live lives that were worthy.

To live lives that followed the pattern that he set down. The pattern was for the people to obey God and he would redeem them from their sin and become followers of Yahweh.

Unfortunately, the people were easily distracted. As a result God sent prophets, God sent Jesus, God sent common ordinary men and women to warn and warn and warn again.

As a result of continued disobedience God punished, he sent to captivity, he punished and pushed and prodded His people to straighten up and to be a follower of His.

In a large part they ignored God and followed their own ways...

As a result the people followed themselves, And did what was right in their own eyes.

There is GREAT danger here… as we will see over the next six months or so.

OK… Enough of deniers of God, His Sovereignty, and His plan for His people, all people.

Followers of Yahweh, Followers of El, Followers of The Lord God, Almighty

What made these people different. Different in their response to the call and command of God.

You see there is the Ten Commandments and as a result there is a moral law that goes side-by-side with it. The application of it if you will.

Here is an example...Jesus explains the commandment to “not covet” like this...

Matthew 5:28 ESV

28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This is just the beginning of this discussion there will be many more examples as we go through our series.

Let’s take Samuel for example

Let’s take Book of Samuel for an example...

Open your Bibles, your apps or however you are accessing the Word of God to 1Samuel.

1Samuel is located in the first quarter of the bible.

This book was written about 1100 years before Christ.

The purpose of the Book is to establish Israel’s monarchy.

Why you ask… The “people” demanded a human King. Even though God told them He was only the King they needed they demanded… He gave them one.

1 Samuel 8:19–22 ESV

19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”

So they got what they wanted… A King, a human that would lead with God’s righteousness in mind, They also got Kings that were abominations in the sight of God.

They were cruel, unyielding and did NOT consult the Lord but instead they consulted mediums and evil spirits. They completely turned there backs on Yahweh.

But that’s what the people wanted… And God allowed it to drive people back to Him and Him alone.

One of the Righteous people in the Old Testament, an example for all us is.

His name is Elkanah. He had two wives. One is Hannah, who he loved and cared for. The other was Peninnah… Who bore him children.

1 Samuel 1:4–5 ESV

4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.

Hannah had no where to turn but to God. She went went to the “House of the Lord” / “Temple of The Lord.” and wept.

Hannah brought her deepest, darkest hurt was that she could not have children.

1 Samuel 1:10–11 (ESV)

10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.

11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, [O Yahweh Saba] if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

Eli, the Temple Priest, saw her praying to God, he thought she was drunk. But instead

V.15

1 Samuel 1:15 ESV

15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.

We don’t know how long Hannah had prayed and prayed for a child we do know from V.6 &7 that her rival had been provoking her “year after year.”

Here is our BIG QUESTION for today...

Are you willing, right here, right now to commit to growing spiritually in 2022?

When it was obvious to Hannah that she could not bear children she took the challenge to the Lord.

She prayed and prayed, year after year.

I’ve got to tell you something… There are things that I have prayed and prayed for “year after year.”

Each night as we put our boys to bed or sent them to bed, I prayed to God that He would bring Godly spouses into their lives. — My prayer was answered. Tyler and Josh both married women that love the Lord.

In 1989 began praying for the opportunity to do full-time ministry.

I still prayed and prayed.

Two examples both with long term prayer items. Our boys were in the their mid-20’s when they got married.

I finally was able to transition to full-time ministry at 57 years old; after praying for an opportunity since I was 28 years old. That’s nearly 30 years.

What have you prayed for “year after year” that you have not yet seen any results yet.

Jack Cooper and I have been praying for a revival in our hearts, in our church, in our city, state, nation and world.

It’s not happened, But I’m still praying for it. And i know that Jack is.

How can prayer change you and your situation?

These are 2 of my situations where I have prayed, without results for years. Made promises to God and all he could answer was… WAIT!!!

What are you asking God for? How are you asking Him? What results are you seeing? If He does answer what are you prepared to do? How long will you wait?

Hannah and her husband returned to their lives...

1 Samuel 1:20 ESV

20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”

God provided answer to Hannah’s prayer...

God will make prayers come to pass if we remain faithful to Him and His ways.

Sometimes as we have seen the answer is “Yes!” other times “No!” and still there is the worst option… “Wait.”

Hannah waited for God’s time

How can you begin to “grow spiritually” in 2022?

I have three answers for starters… PRAY, PRAY AND PRAY.

Maybe it will sound like this… God, it is my desire to grow-up in this Christian life. I’m done being a child, I want more, I want meat and potatoes.

Maybe that’s my prayer for all of us. I want to grow-up in things of God… I pray that you do too.

Back to 1Samuel

1 Samuel 1:21–22 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.”

So many times, in so many ways our prayers are SO SELFISH.

God, change my husband, change my wife!

God, I’ve never asked this before but I need a 2022 3LT Coup Corvette, it’s about $75,000. But if you give it to me I’ll talk about you every day.

Hannah’s was NOT selfish...

Vs 22 in part...

“I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.”

In the presence of the Lord God, Hannah made the ultimate commitment.

What is the ultimate commitment for you in 22?

What are absolutely willing to do to grow, to mature, to follow the Lord.

To accept His Son Jesus as Lord and Savior

To become baptized for the first or the 15th time to tell the world you have committed or re-committed your life to Christ.

To study your Bible… if your just getting started with some one to guide you.

Who here, right now is willing to act as “guide” to someone studying the Bible for the first time or the 150th time?

To step it up, trust the Lord for provision and to give the full 10% tithe to the church, the local church storehouse.

To get involved in a bible study, a home group, a care group where you can be a blessing and be blessed.

What you willing to “bring to the table” when God answers your prayer for spiritual growth?

Africa, Asia, South America, the good old USA needs missionaries to spread the Word of God.

Gallo is our missionary to the youth of Sunnyside through Young Life. Are you willing to support him in prayer, as a helper, as a leader, as a direct giver to Young Life.

Jim Slinker is reaching out to those in his world who need discipleship, who need salvation, who need a caring group of friends.

Are you willing to sacrifice “You” for “Them?”

That’s a strong question… What are your intentions?

From 1Sam1.26-28

1 Samuel 1:26–28 ESV

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.

“For this child I prayed...” And the Lord answered my prayer.

The word here in V.28, “Lent” is probably better understood as “petitioned.”

Hannah was following the longstanding commitment to give the first child, first animal, first fruits, in service to the Lord.

Are you willing to give ALL of your “first fruits” to the Lord?

The first fruits of your time, to get to know God again maybe for the first time?

The first fruits of your time to grow in knowledge about God, His people and to share that with someone or to be their guide?

The first fruits of your talent… we all have one or 10. Can you sit and watch over our youngest attenders in the nursery? Can you lead in bringing the Bible to life for teenagers?

The first fruits of your treasure… If you are tithing to the Lord, are you willing to share what God is doing. If your struggling with the 10%… don’t. Start, as a step of faith with 5% or 3%. But do it regularly… No matter how bare the cupboards are stay with it. YOU WILL BE BLESSED!!

The first fruits of your family… Are you willing to dedicate you, your spouse, your children to the service of God.

It would go something like this… to mentor, to coach to make opportunities available for spiritual decisions in their lives. AND THEN TO SUPPORT THOSE DECISIONS

Once God is in the mix… once you have commited your life to Christ, one you have committed to growth spiritually, once you have prayed and he has answered, once you have committed and responded to the voice of the Lord

1 Samuel 2:9–10 ESV

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.”

I do want to return to our BIG QUESTION:

Are you willing, right here, right now to commit to growing spiritually in 2022?

On your way out this morning if you have made this commitment to The Lord. Make eye contact with me, nod a bit or whatever catches my attention.

God answers the faithful… He will guard you , protect you and teach you in ways you never thought possible.