I Samuel 3:1-10 * August 2, 2009 * Pentecost 9 * Pastor Pagels

In the name of Christ Jesus, dear friends:

Before you stands a man. His face is dark and wrinkled from many years in the hot sun. His hair and his beard are long, unusually long because a razor has never touched his head. You look down and notice that his hands are stained with blood because they have taken another man’s life.

As this imposing figure approaches questions flood your mind. Should I raise my hands to fight, or should I turn around and flee? And who is he? Is he friend or foe? Is he a battle tested warrior or a dangerous murderer?

Actually this man is a judge, not the kind with a white wig and a black robe. In the Old Testament judges were leaders, people God called to lead Israel before the nation had a king. This particular judge has a familiar name, a name that fathers and mothers still name their sons today, Samuel.

Samuel holds a special place in Israel’s history. He was the human bridge between a time of near anarchy and the beginning of the monarchy. The Bible describes him as a prophet and a seer, but today we will focus on his primary office and ask God to help us follow in the footsteps of…

SAMUEL: THE UPRIGHT JUDGE

“This baby is a miracle.” Most parents think that the first time they lay eyes on their newborn child, but none more so that Hannah and her husband Elkanah. For some reason the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, and for many years she was not able to have children.

She couldn’t eat. She couldn’t sleep. But she could pray, and pray she did. On one of the family’s pilgrimages to Shiloh, Hannah went weeping to the tabernacle and made this vow: “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life” (I Samuel 1:11).

God heard Hannah’s prayer, and he gave her the son she so desperately desired. When it came time to name the child, she called him Samuel, not because that was his grandfather’s name, not because it was in the top ten in the Hebrew book of baby names, but because of what the name “Samuel” means, “God has heard.”

It wasn’t easy for Hannah to make good on her promise, but she did. After Samuel had been weaned she gave her little boy back to God. She brought him to Shiloh, and there Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli the priest.

Eli had experience raising children, but it hadn’t been a very pleasant experience. The Bible describes his sons Hophni and Phinehas as wicked men who had no regard for the Lord (I Samuel 2:12), not exactly a flattering description of the men who were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of Israel.

How did these priests show their disregard for God? Instead of taking some of the meat that the people brought for sacrifices, they chose the best cuts before the animals were sacrificed. And when people objected that this practice violated the law of Moses, they threatened to take what they wanted by force. Besides feeding their hunger they satisfied their lust by sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (I Samuel 2:22).

And as if those sins weren’t bad enough, Hophni and Phinehas were responsible for something even worse. They allowed the Ark of the Covenant to fall into enemy hands. Before the Israelites went into battle against the Philistines the elders wanted to bring the ark into their camp as some kind of good luck charm.

Instead of speaking out against this foolish suggestion like they should have, the priests went along with the elders. The Israelites were defeated. Hophni and Phinehas were killed. And when Eli received the report that his sons were dead and that the ark had been captured, he fell over dead too.

Those three deaths in one day created a void of leadership in Israel, a void that God quickly filled with Samuel. Even though he was young, all Israel recognized Samuel as a prophet. We are told that “the LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word” (I Samuel 3:21).

God spoke to Samuel, and then Samuel carried God’s Word to the people. His message was quite simple. In fact, it can be summarized with three “R”s: Repent, Rid and Return. “Repent of your sins. Rid yourselves of foreign gods. And return to the Lord.”

After a lifetime of faithful leadership, the people showed their appreciation by telling Samuel: “We don’t want any more judges. We want to be like the nations all around us. We want a king.” Samuel felt dejected, but the Lord told him not to lose heart: “With this request they aren’t rejecting you,” God said. “They are rejecting me.”

Nevertheless the Lord gave the people what they wanted. He instructed Samuel to anoint Saul son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin, and judging by outward appearances he looked every bit like a king. He was tall, dark and handsome, and his reign got off to a pretty good start. But Saul had a problem following God’s directions. And instead of seeking God’s guidance as his first option, he often called upon God as his last resort.

After giving him chances and second chances and third chances, Samuel finally announced to Saul that God had rejected him as king because he had rejected God. When Saul reached out to grab Samuel he tore the prophet’s robe, which caused Samuel to turn back and declare: “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you” (I Samuel 15:28).

Soon after this the Lord revealed this "better king" to Samuel. God sent him to Bethlehem, to the home of a man named Jesse, who had eight sons. When Samuel saw the first son Eliab, he thought to himself: "This must be the one."

Why did he think that? Was Eliab big and tall like King Saul? Did he have a regal air about him? We don't know, but we do know that Eliab was not God's choice. He told Samuel: "The LORD does not look at things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (I Samuel 16:7).

Seven sons of Jesse passed by, and none of them passed God's test. It was David, the youngest son, the boy who was out watching the sheep, that God chose to be Israel's next king. Even though he was the most unlikely choice, he was the right choice because God could see into his heart.

On that day the Lord taught Samuel a valuable lesson, a lesson that should not be lost on us. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Or to put it another way, sometimes looks can be deceiving. David didn't look like much when Samuel first saw him, but God made him into Israel's greatest king.

Hundreds of years later the descendant of David didn't look like much when he was led outside the gates of Jerusalem to be crucified. His enemies taunted him. His friends deserted him. He was bruised. He was bloody. He was beaten. But looks can be deceiving. God the Father could see into his Son's heart. He saw a heart that loves all people, a heart that forgives all sin, a heart that stopped beating on the cross and miraculously, victoriously started beating again in the tomb.

It didn't look like much when little Joseph was baptized at the beginning of this service. I spoke a few words over him. I sprinkled a few drops of water on him, and that's it. The ground didn't shake. The font didn't split. By all outward appearances, nothing happened.

But looks can be deceiving. The Lord looked into his heart, and he saw something that was dead come alive. He saw the Spirit's work. He kindled the flame of faith. Through the water and the Word God made that little child his child.

It probably won't look like much when we celebrate communion today. Row by row people will file into the front pews. They will receive a wafer and a sip of wine. They will go back and sit down, and that's it. The heavens won't open, and the angels won't sing. By all outward appearances it will look like (and maybe even feel like) nothing happened.

But looks can be deceiving. Jesus has given us his promise that when we receive communion we receive his true body and blood. Jesus has given us his promise that when we receive his body and blood we receive the forgiveness of sins. And when the Lord looks into the hearts of his people, he sees faith, faith that has been strengthened, faith that is renewed in this holy meal.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Those are comforting words, but they can also be a little scary. God can look into all of our hearts, and when he does what does he see? He sees our nagging doubts. He sees our secret sins. He sees the jealousy and the hypocrisy. God's penetrating gaze sees us for the sinners we are, but he also sees what we need. And we can see how the Lord meets that need in another event from the life of Samuel.

It was evening. The young boy Samuel was sleeping in the temple when he heard a voice call his name. He went and woke up Eli, but Eli said that it wasn't him and sent him back to bed. This happened again with the same result. The third time Samuel woke him up Eli realized that the voice was the Lord's, and he told Samuel: "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening'" (I Samuel 3:9).

The fourth time turned out to be the charm. Shortly after Samuel went to lie down, the Lord called to him, and according to Eli's instructions Samuel answered: "Speak, for your servant is listening" (I Samuel 3:10).

Samuel eventually grew up. He grew up to be a faithful prophet and an upright judge. He proclaimed God's Word. He led God's people. Throughout the course of his long life Samuel learned many things, but the most important lesson he learned in the equivalent of kindergarten: Before you say anything, before you do anything, before you make any plans, before you make any decisions, you need to listen.

That's not just good advice for good communication. Those are words for all of us to live by. If you are troubled by a certain sin in your life, if it keeps coming back, if it won't go away, listen to what God has to say: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

If you feel like you are drifting through life, if you are searching for purpose and meaning in your life, listen to what God has to say: "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

If you are confused, if you are scared, listen to what God has to say: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6,7).

We could do this all day, but I hope you get the point. Our lives are filled with questions, but in his Word God provides answers. All he asks you to do is open your Bible and open your mouth and say with Samuel: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” Amen.