Speak, Your Servant Listens

Speak, Your Servant Listens

1 Samuel 3:1-10 ¹And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. ²And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; ³And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; ⁴That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. ⁵And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. ⁶And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. ⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. ⁸And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. ⁹Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. ¹⁰And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

INTRO: Isn't our sense of hearing great. Truly, being able to hear is a great thing to have. Take from someone who has lost some of his ability. Spiritual hearing is also important. I fear we often ignore or override our hearing from God. Just as in everyday life, we have the ability to not hear when we so wish. That does not make the message any less important or us any less culpable.

Just as in real life - actually more so, because God knows if we do not hear or if we do not listen - and that we cannot get by forever with the excuse, "I did not hear you."

So what about it? Can you hear what God is trying to say to you? Do you want to hear? Are you trying to hear? Are you obeying what you hear? Lets get started.

First, I want to look at how we can hear from God today. Turn to Hebrews 1…

Hebrews 1:1-3 ¹God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, ²Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; ³Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

We can tell that God has spoken through His prophets

We learn here that He has spoken through His Son, Jesus

Jesus told us in the Parable of the Sower, He uses His Word, in other words, the Bible

Matt. 13:19-23 ¹⁹When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. ²⁰But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; ²¹Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. ²²He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. ²³But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Jesus also let us know that His Holy Spirit speaks to us.

Rev 2:7; 7: 11: 17: 29;
^{7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
^{11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
^{17He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
^{29He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.}}}} We also must ask…

Why does He speak to us? This can be found in Rev 3:14-22

^{14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; ¹⁵I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. ¹⁶So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. ¹⁷Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: ¹⁸I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. ¹⁹As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
^{20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. ²¹To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. ²²He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.}}

He knows us

He loves us

He wants to help us

He wants something from us - to live for His Father

So, is it important that we listen to Him? OF COURSE! We can see in the Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13:

We need to do more than only hear the Word

Hear His Word

Listen to His Word

Receive His Word

Apply His Word

Obey His word

Share His Word

Some examples…

Luke 10:38 - 39 ³⁸Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 17:11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Are you hearing what God wants you to hear?

Are you listening to Him?

Are you being obedient?

Do you want to serve Him better?

Do you believe He has something to tell you in His Word?

Are you like young Samuel, ready to say, "Your servant listens?"

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 071705am