Samuel’s Solid Leadership (Part 2 of 2)

Our behavior is ultimately an expression of what's going on. So what we need to do to purify our hearts will find out today on Truth for Life as Alister bread brings us the conclusion of a message titled Samuel's solid leadership were in chapter 7 of the book of first Samuel verses one through 11 the ministry of Samuel was in some ways just peculiarly boring. What I mean by that is where not introduced to Samuel at any point in the preceding as something of a man of great military might, or a person who is able to exercise political muscle or somebody whose creativity and his fund of ideas and expectations and consuming plans just stirs all of the people. None of the no only the fact that God Almighty did not lead the words of Samuel fall to the ground because the words of the prophet are the words of God, the words that Samuel spoke were the words that God gave them to speak.

That is true of Jesus.

Remember you said the words that I speak to you are not my own. They are the words that my father gave me to speak to you this is the role that is assigned to the prophet and this my friends is the prophetic word in terms of contemporary life, not some notion that higher somebody else pops out of nowhere but the prophetic word is surely to bring the very word of God to bear upon the people of God in the context of contemporary life and to see this is what this means and this is why this matters God's word. During God's word.

11 centuries BC.

Same thing when a congregation understands the place of preaching, properly understood, it actually minimizes the preacher and glorifies God in properly embraced it glorifies the preacher and minimize pathway one blessing pathway to bondage chaos and eventual dissolution read your Bible you find that it is the case, so all this to remind us that the Samuel came preaching and he preached very straightforwardly didn't think it was a very long sermon, at least here as it is recorded for us. He says I want you to know that if you are genuine. I found a lot of lamenting. If you're really serious about this, then pulled down the sit around here and and and try crying your coffee do you see what they were doing was liberal they were tolerating these things they were incorporating these things, the things of the Philistines, he began to set himself up, there's really no harm in this at all we have to worry about this previously. And so do we not a limited time this morning to unpack the sordid horrible details of the bales and the astronauts can do that on your own time. Suffice it to say that the appeal of these foreign gods was straightforward and actually repeated again and again throughout history that is, these foreign guards offer the chance to combine sexual indulgence with religious devotion your reader for yourselves and you'll find out that in the very heart of it is perversion and corruption at the level of human sexuality. Is it any surprise that here we are.

The 21st century, and at the very nice thatch of the future of the Evangelicalism in the United States of America. Is this very question. Is it okay to do this. Is it fair enough to tolerate this, and so on. The same question. Years of gone by, were far away, but no you see the activities in which they were being seduced to engage in were entirely in compatible with the law of God. Okay, answers three you will have no other gods before me. Which part of that the Lord might say are you having difficulty in understanding a case is not an issue of understanding.

It is a moral issue is not an intellectual issue.

It is a moral decision. It is an immoral decision not notice okay for us. We can have. We can have the arguments up on the hill somewhere were not worried about the art right now. None of them are far more exciting things going on here. We are the church overhears kind of boring. All they are doing. There is preach, but over here there's authors so much stuff over here very excited well as I was sitting think about as I sit here. This is a Chris Christopherson saw the satellite can possibly be put in only in this and this and send it via because he had. He has a song on her one of his albums and early 1970s, and I've never forgotten the refrain because I find so challenging is said that on. He's a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction taking every wrong direction on his lonely way back home. That's the refrain second verse he is tasted good and evil in your bedrooms and your bar's and he's traded in tomorrow for today running from his devils Lord and reaching for the stars and losing all his love. Along the way. He's out walking contradiction and I preached consistently to my own heart and to the contradictions that are represented in my own heart.

Therefore, I can only but assume that this intersects with one or two the danger of saying well know that was then and this is now. I've matured from that simple Christian stuff I've moved on from there. I've been able to amalgamate and taller agents or you find yourself in the silence of your own home saying with the psalmist. Where is the blessedness I knew when first I saw the Lord. Where is the soul refreshing view of Jesus and his work will you answer this is gone. Why is it gone because it's filled up with other stuff. The very stuff that sucks the life out of genuine Christian conviction. Samuel is clear on these things. He's like John the Baptist. Later on he says to the folks is as you know, you just think because of your religious heritage are in the clearest bear fruit that benefits repentance all that Samuel is doing is what Jacob had done before, when he had said to the people put away those guards he's giving them the same choice that is described in Joshua were Joshua and Joshua 24, says to the people you better make up your mind. You can either serve the gods over there or you can serve the true and living God, but to quote Bob Dylan, you don't have to serve somebody. And it may be the devil and it may be the law, but you won't have to serve somebody in Samuel now stepped back into the 420 years. The art up in the Hillhouse of the Benedek and here he preaches to them, preaches repentance to them, preaches in a way that people don't like to be preached to turn from these things he says direct your heart to the Lord, there is the line is not direct your heart to the Lord. You see, the Alliance with that which is so appealing to our sinful hearts.

The allure of those things is a matter of the heart. If you been around church life, any length of time you will know that it is very possible for the congregation to draw up certain lists and rules that are all of the back of the handbook that lived are usually good rules but they tend to this, the tend to the idea of external conformity that has got nothing to do a tall with a human heart and so then the congregation begins to believe that as long as it has succeeded in saying no to these things and saying yes to these things than it actually may be just in the splendid position while usually in a splendid position with one another because were able to check on those things. The problem is my hearts. The problem is your spiritual transformation is inside-out. Not, I would say then ultimately your behavior in my behavior and the behavior of the people year 1050 BC was a reflection on what was going on in their hearts, the God of Israel did not fill their hearts and minds. Their emotions the world if it did, there was no reason to go over the appeal. Think of it in terms of a marriage.

That's the way in which it is used. The bride that's a picture in Proverbs arguing from the lesser to the greater. What is it will lead somebody into adultery is the fact of the hearts the heart and so he says direct your hearts to the Lord come down come down will love divine, seek the this sole of my and visited that's our great need. That was the great need of the people there. That's the great need here in part so verse five Samuel says let's get everybody together at Mizpah and I'm going to pray to the Lord for you but here's the here's the second piece of it is you remember when the early churches is often going and the little dispute emerges with Meals on Wheels. There in in that the early chapters, and then the apostle say what were not going to get involved in this.

We need good people involved in this.

It would be right for us to leave the apostolic ministry to serve these tables not because of the menial nature of the calling, but because of the significance of what they've been called to do what is it they said they would. We will get ourselves to prayer and to the preaching of the word Samuel comes out of the shadows as it were, and the words out of his mouth as a preacher and he assembles the congregation as is and what preventative is never going to pray is what I mean about how fundamentally boring this is his award you have in your church. What we preach and we pray this but don't you have a surface of an image of you nestling after his is there something a little better than that, I'm trying to invite my friends and I do believe that God's creatures were to believe that God answers prayer was a great need commonality and immorality of Eli's household.

Eli was a nice man but he was useless. His sons were corrupt and immoral. So I said with a get together were going to pray, incidentally, and so that I don't miss this Ralph Davis is a wonderful reminder to us when he says repentance is not the cause but is only the condition of Yahweh's deliverance is important.

Repentance is not the cause is the condition in which God intervenes. There is no merit you see in repentance. But there is no saving help. Without that repentance, so gather eligibility Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you. As verse five go down to where we verse eight and the people of Israel said to Samuel do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us in verse nine. So Samuel nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering will come back to this later and Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel and the Lord answered. You see the way in which this happens.

In verse six as they gather they confess their sins report out with this water before the Lord. They fasted on the date is only an expression of their repentance and their contrition and they said here's the deal we have sinned against the Lord with you want to know what's been going on for the past 20 years. This, and I'll tell you we've actually send now when it says that Samuel judge the people in this way you're not to think about E. 9th St. in the in the courts down there know we are to think in terms of what he's doing. How did he judge the believer setting things right in Israel by his words to the people from God, and by his words to Gord for the people.

Okay, so it is exercise of judgment or leadership was directly related to the fact that he spoke the words from God to the people and here he exercises if you like the role of the intercessor as he speaks on behalf of the people to the reviewers still alert immediately say I can see Jesus already.

Here's the great intercessor yes he is. He is the one who preaches the word to us and here's the one who enters in to the father's throne room on our behalf and in our defense that we have an advocate with the father is amazing in these dear people under the tutelage of this amazing character gathered in this way, moving from despondency as a result of the clarity of the preaching and then confronting in verse seven, the hostility of the Philistines when the Philistines heard the folks had gathered the presumed they must be mustering for another fight and we would've thought that it says and when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah.

Incidentally, you notice the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. The last time we saw the lords of the Philistines was where walking behind the milk cows. Remember, they've had time to think about it as well. Presumably a few changes in leadership, but here they are again so the response to the news of the Philistines were coming here they come here they come and gone and the people of Israel said to Samuel do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that he might save us.

See they were afraid they were afraid wealthy.

I don't want someone to be afraid after they've got everything sorted out. Notably, in chapter 4. They should be afraid. Anyone afraid and in chapter 7. They don't need to be afraid and they are afraid of the world's going on. Chapter 4 is presumption the art was it was that was a magic box that member will we need to worry about. The Philistines will take the article. The article before lucky charm time now the yard has been 20 years of the Hillhouse now the Philistines are coming again we better pray Pastor Samuel, will you pray to the Lord for us.

Pastor Samuel will you pray that God's protection will rule over us that we will not then be unsettled and undone by these things that as the hordes of enemies come against us, that we might manage to prevail, and that's exactly what happened in the victory was secured in prayer and prayer. There was no battle, just under so what this same thunder that gave confidence to the Israelites brought confusion to the Philistines. You see the Israelites they could've remembered that Hannah when she pray pray the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces against them. He will fund her in the heavens that was her prayer she didn't know all that she pray and the thunder comes in the heavens and the victory is enjoying and Samuel says let's put a stone here or a pile of stones here. Yeah, what we have to start. Only is it just a good point with the stones. Some of you are not big on monuments. I know not big on memorials. Life goes by quickly here. But last weekend we we had occasion to think about and now now here we have the stone. Those of you son, I found a very blessed and have some things that I don't what is Ebenezer is will come back to her this evening and will will will make it clear because ultimately our Ebenezer is the cross of Jesus Christ. This is where we take our stand. Let me give you one final quote because our time is gone. Let me let me just give you this quote that I brought with me again from Spurgeon so each piece picturing that the setting up of the stone and he says, have we forgotten because in here's here's the context sorry.

The last time we we we read of Ebenezer is its failure right, it's that the armies are around, that's so sure to set up others. Ebenezer stone is immediately to go on the you know this makes me think of how we forgotten our pitiful failures in preaching and prayer. When we didn't wait on God for strength of those times of groaning when no one is believed our report because the Lord's arm was not revealed I call to remembrance all my failures as I stand on the sale of joy.

I doubt not, that on the field of Ebenezer there with the graves of thousands who'd been slain and fight led the graves of our past proud notions the graves of our self-confidence. The graves of our creatures strengthen posting still is up to.

Praise the Lord, who has thus far helped us look to your former defeats do you return victorious you would've returned with your garments trailed in the mud and your shield broken.

If God had not been up on your side. All you that have proven your weakness, perhaps by some terrible fall or in some sad disappointment. Let the recollection of the spot where you were vanquished, constrained you the more to praise the Lord, who has helped you. Even to this day to triumph over your adversaries. What an amazing thing it is that God is the God who is able to turn our failures into triumph the very things that we thought meant the end of our usefulness.

The conclusion of our pilgrimage. Upon reflection that has been the very seedbed out of weakness and failure and disappointment that God has chosen to make you the individual that your to make a church the way he wants it to be the ultimate key to genuine spiritual transformation is devoting ourselves to prayer and to God's word list and Truth for Life with Alistair Begg, praying together and hearing God's word are two privileges we enjoy when we belong to a local church in a brand-new book titled love your church pastor Tony Marita explores eight privileges and responsibilities of a church member things we might take for granted things like welcoming or gathering or caring throughout every generation. Those who teach God's word need our prayers and our support to contribute to the overall well-being of our local church. If you attend a local church in your community but you haven't really thought much about how you can support your pastor request a copy of the book love your church. The book answers questions like what can I do to contribute to my pastor's effectiveness. When you read the book you will discover a number of action steps you can take not only to help your pastor, but help your entire church community request. The book love your church when you make a donation through the Truth for Life at or online at truthforlife.org/donate the book. Love, your church is in line with our mission truth for like to teach the Bible with clarity and relevance, so that through the teaching of God's word pastors and church members will be strengthened and built up in their faith by studying the Scriptures when you donate and request this book. This is the mission you're supporting Bob Lapine. We hope you'll join us tomorrow. One will find out why Samuel the great prophet and leader of Israel identified himself as a sinner of Pilgrim and a worshiper Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is punished by Truth for Life where the Learning is for Living