Text: I Samuel 3:1-10, 19-21
Title: “Jesus in 1 Samuel: The Call of Salvation”
Subj: The call of Samuel
Purpose: To consider the call of God upon a life 

Introduction:  Hannah’s heart was continually heavy.  As one of the two wives of Elkanah, she had been unable to bear children, which brought shame to herself and her husband, and was considered a sign of reproach and displeasure from God.  Year after year she went with her husband to worship God at Shiloh with sacrifices and offerings, yet she remained barren.  One year, in deep bitterness of soul, as she prayed to Jehovah God, she vowed a vow unto the Lord, “O Lord of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget Thine handmaid, but wilt give unto Thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.” 

Though this is not the purpose of our message, notice the prayer of this broken-hearted woman.  It was selfish, “give unto Thine handmaiden a MAN child.”  This is the shallowness of our prayers, “give me, give me, give me!”  Hear the demands of our prayers, “a man child, a man child!”  This is why most of our prayers are never answered!  Wife, are you praying for your husband’s salvation so your life is easier, or so your husband won’t to hell?  How sad it is when the husband gets saved that the very same wife that prayed for his salvation now turns into a hinderance in his service for God!  Dad, are you praying for your wayward child so he won’t bring reproach on the family name, or so his life will count for Christ, though it be in a far flung field of the world?  How said it is, when the son or daughter finally give in to God, that the parents often stand in the way of their service for the Lord!  You see, our motive gives the necessary momentum to our prayers!  Hannah prayed a selfish prayer, with a “self-less” motive,  “then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life...”  And so from the purity of her motive came forth the answer to her prayer, “...that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, because I have asked him of the Lord.”

            At 3 years of age, with the sacrifices and prayers of his parents ringing in his ears, Samuel is taken to the High Priest, there to spend his life in the service of the Lord.  The Bible says, “And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favor both with the Lord, and also with men.” 

Text: 1 Sam. 3:1-10, 19-21 – “Jesus in 1 Samuel: the Call of Salvation – prayer 

I. THE CALL MUST BE RECEIVED AS A CHILD (v1a)
    A. Samuel Had Always Been in Church (from 3 to 12 yrs. old)
          1. Just because a child is in church, it does not mean Christ ins in the child, though it is the best place for children to find Him! 

     B. Samuel Had Always Believed in the God
          1. But belief is not trust!
          2. Belief in not recognition (v5) 

     C. Samuel Came as a Child
Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God a s a little child, he shall not enter therein.”  (Mk. 10:15)
          1. Trustingly (as a child trust his parents)
              a. We must put our trust in the Word of another
Jesus said, “I Am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the Father except by Me.”
          2. Willingly (as a child comes to the call of his parents)
Rms 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved.”
           3. Immediately (here we often see the sinful man in the child)
2 Cor. 6:2 “For He (God) saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation.” 

II. THE CALL MUST BE BASED ON THE PRECIOUS WORD OF GOD (v1b)
       A. “Precious” = rare
             1. Precious because of its purpose
                 a. The redemption of mankind
Jn. 20:31 “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His Name.”
                 b. The edifying (building up) of the saints
Rms. 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
             2. Precious because of its Person
                 a. Jesus Christ, our Saviour
Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
                  b. Jesus Christ, our propitiation (satisfaction)
1 Pet. 1:18-19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, for your vain conversation received by traditions from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
             3. Precious because of its promises
                  a. Forgiveness of past sins
                  b. Power over present sins
                  c. Removal from the very presence of sins 

          B. Rare
               1. There is no other Word like it
                   a. There is no other book, person or religion that reveals God’s truths (“Thy Word is truth”)   
               2. Rare because of how it is applied
                    a. By the Holy Spirit 

          C. “No Open Vision”
                1. A time of great moral and spiritual darkness
                    a. Each lost man has this same condition in his soul 

III. THE CALL MUST COME IN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES  (v2-3)
(Not for you, but for God) 

Note: God continually allows circumstances in your life to remind you of eternity and the frailness of life. 

         A. Four Right Circumstances in this Verse (v3)
              1. The voice of God was heard in the Temple
              2. The lamp of God was kept burning in the Temple
              3. The presence of God was seen in the Temple (ark)
              4. The peace of God was present in the Temple (slept)
1 Cor. 6:19  “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 

        B. Four Right Circumstances for Others to see Christ in Us
              1. The voice of God must be heard thru us (conversation)
              2. The light of God must be seen in us (Holy Spirit)
                   a. This lamp was kept continually lit by relighting morning and night
                        1) The wick is trimmed
                             a) That which burns must be cleaned
                        2) The oil is refilled
                             a) That which is consumed (Holy Spirit)
Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world.”
              3. The presence of God must be seen in us (lifestyle)
              4. The peace of God must be seen in us (composure)
1 Cor. 6:20 “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 

IV. THE CALL MUST BE HEARD (v4)
        A. It Came suddenly in the Silence of the Night
Psa. 22:11 “Be not far from me; for trouble is near: for there is none to help.” 

         B. It Came Individually
              1. “Samuel, Samuel”
                  a. God know you by name and by sin 

          C. It Came Repeatedly (v4,6,8)
               1. Notice “the carnal mind receives not the things of the Spirit.”
                   a. Samuel went to another for help in recognizing God’s call

 V. THE CALL MUST BE RESPONDED TO (v5-6,8)
      A. Four Times Samuel Responded, but Three of Those Times He Did Not Recognize the Voice of God
            1. But he responded to the light he had, and God gave him further light (v10) 

VI. THE ONE CALLED MUST RECOGNIZE HIS CONDITION (v7)
        A. Samuel did not “Know” God
              1. He knew about Him, but not of Him
                  a. To know is to have a relationship
Jesus said to Nicodemus, “...Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (a new relationship) 

         B. Because the Word was not Revealed Unto Him
              1. The Scriptures reveal our condition to us (lost in sin)
              2. The Scriptures reveal God to us (and His way) 

VII. THE ONE CALLED MUST ACCEPT GOD’S CALL (v10)
         A. God’s Part
               1. Came to you
               2. Stood by you (revealed Himself in Christ)
               3. Called you (by name; speaking to you) 

          B. Man’s Part
                1. Answer
                2. Understand (“heareth”)
                     a. Put into practice 

Note:  Many Christians have answered, but few have understood that God wants our all from the day of our salvation. 

VIII. THE ONE CALLED MUST PROVE HIS CALLING (v19-21)
           A. Samuel Grew
                1. He grew because the Lord was with him
                2. As he grew the Lord was more with him
                     a. So he left no word unfulfilled that God spoke thru him 

            B. All Knew
                 1. Samuel was established in truth
                  2. God was with him 

            C. God in View
                  1. Because of this obedience, God could be seen once again
                      a. Thru a son
                      b. In a place
                      c. By the Word 

Concl:  We have seen that Samuel, though dedicated to the Lord as a child, and destined to be a prophet of God, still had to respond to the call of God in his life.  Samuel had to go through the same steps that each and every saved person has gone through since the time of Adam.  Samuel heard the call of God: he responded to the call of God; he recognized that the was a sinner, and that only thru the shedding of blood can man’s sins be forgiven; he accepted what Christ did on the Cross of Calvary; and finally, he proved God’s call in his new lifestyle.

            Is that what you have done this day, or are you still without Christ?  Won’t you come today and be saved?

            Christian, you are saved, but what about the proof of your salvation?  Can others see Christ in you?  Are you growing?  Are you witnessing to others?