October 31, 2004

 

Can You Hear Me Now?

Your Servant Is Listening?

I Samuel 3:1-10

 

Introduction

Many years ago the telegraph was the fastest form of communication. To have a job in the local telegraph office was quite respectable. When a vacancy was announced many would race to fill the position.

In a small town in the Midwest applicants raced to the local telegraph office for just that reason. A job vacancy had been announced. When one young man arrived he was greeted by dozens of applicants waiting ahead of him and the noise of the telegraph, itself, pounding out Morse code in the background. For a few moments he sat there with the other applicants but suddenly he got up and walked through the door to the office. A few minutes later he returned with his new supervisor. The supervisor thanked everyone for coming but he had decided to hire the young man. Why? The reason was simple. The telegraph that was pounding in the background was a message to all the applicants. In Morse code the telegraph was saying, "If you can understand this message. Walk through the door and meet your new supervisor. Congratulations!" All the applicants heard the noise of the telegraph but only the young man understood the Morse code.

Can I ask you a couple of questions? Would anyone here this morning like to hear from God? Has anyone here this morning ever heard from God? Does anyone here this morning ever expect to hear from God? There are times when God does speak to us. The problem is we are just not listening. It happens all the time. It happened to Samuel. God was speaking to him but he wasn’t listening. Perhaps that is your story? That is why you can relate to this story. Let us look at the passage together.

Body

According to the great Jewish historian Josephus Samuel was twelve years old. The young man had lived his life in the temple. You remember the story. His mother, Hannah, and dedicated him to God’s service. His mentor was the old priest, Eli. As the story goes it was the end of a long day. The boy was tired. However, it was at that moment that God finally decided to speak. The word of the Lord was rear in those days. Perhaps, that is why neither Samuel nor Eli recognized God’s voice. Samuel heard a voice but failed to recognize God. The good new is God did not give up. God did not just speak to Samuel one. He spoke to Samuel three times! It is only after the third time that the transition is made. Samuel did not just hear God’s voice, but Samuel began to listen to God. Verse ten says it clearly, Then Samuel said, ‘Speak you servant is listening.’"

So why didn’t Samuel listen to God sooner? I believe there are many reasons. But today I am only going to give you three. Three reasons why Samuel failed to listen to God. They are the same three reasons why we fail to listen to God. They act as a filter and make us spiritually deaf. It is my goal this morning to reveal these filters so you can eliminate them in your life. Each filer begins with the litter C. I am going to touch on them ever so briefly.

FILTER NUMBER ONE: CHRONOLOGY What I mean by chronology is age. Someone once said there are four stages in life. There is the stage when you believe in Santa Claus. There is the stage when you don’t believe in Santa Claus. There is the stage when you believe you are Santa Claus. There is the stage when you look like Santa Claus. There is no magic stage when God will speak to you. Samuel was twelve years old when God spoke to him but that does not mean that twelve years old is the magic age for divine revelations. On the other hand Noah was over 500 years old when God spoke to him. God does not believe in age discrimination. God can speak to you at any age. If you are ready for a word from God at your age then say, "Amen!" The first filter is CHRONOLOGY.

 

FILTER NUMBER TWO: CULTURE Samuel lived his life in the temple. He was near the arc of God. He was near the Holy of Holies but he failed to listen to God. The rules and the regulations of the faith consumed his life and they were a good thing. The problem was his is culture substituted those rules and regulations for God. He was doing some good things but he had no relationship with God. That is why he wasn’t listening to God.

In our culture we have many good things to do but they are not a substitute for Jesus. You can get involved in the MADD, Mother Against Drunk Drivers. You can join a bowling league. You can go to your or your grandchildren’s band concert. You can vote for the candidate of your choice or give blood at the Red Cross. Those are not bad things. They are good things but those things are not a substitute for God. You need to make your personal relationship with Jesus a priority in your life. If you are going to make Jesus a priority in your life then say, "Amen!" The first filter is CHRONOLOGY. The second filter is CULTURE.

 

FILTER NUMBER THREE: CALENDAR In verse three it mentions the candle of God. It was actually a sin to let that candle go out. (Proverbs 31:8). Some believe Samuel was up late that evening making sure that the candle of God did not go out. He was a busy young man. He was so busy that he didn’t have time to listen to God. Have you ever been so busy that you didn’t have time for God? If you are going to make a little more time for God then say, Amen!" The first filter is CHRONOLOGY. The second filter is CULTURE. The third filter is our CALENDARS.