2021 – Year of the Lord’s Favour – Samuel | Sunday Service | Feb 14, 2021

Welcome back to the house of God. We thank God for allowing us to offer Him praise and worship. More importantly we thank God to allow us to speak with Him today again.

We will continue with our ongoing series, God’s Favour. And today we will focus on the life of Samuel.

Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.

One of the best thing God does to us is to help us grow. Growth is one of the essential feature of being alive. Many times we focus on the physical aspect and forget that we are physical beings.

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”  And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

We concenterate on physical growth, financial growth etc. and we forget the spiritual growth. God didn’t made Samuel what we know him today  just like that. God favored Samuel day by day and year by year. Samuel grew by prayers and everytime he prayed, God heard his prayers.

Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord .

Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.

Samuel grew in stature in human and community at the same time, he grew in his relation with God.

The second chapter of Samuel gives us a picture of two house holds.

– Household of Priest Eli

– Household of Hanna and her family.

And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.

The same chapter also shows all other aspects of Samuel growing physically as well as spiritually. And he grew in greater esteem among the people.

One thing we can learn is that the favour of God is abiding in obedience and we will be a blessing and notice this in our life.

God was slowly walkimg in the life of Samuel like a sculpture, moulding and creating Samuel at every step and every walk of Samuel’s life.

The name samuel comes from a hebrew word which is taken from God.

Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the Lord , and he answered them.

We notice God speaking to Jeremiah as well.

Then the Lord said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go!”

We notice that Samuel was a man of obedience, prayers and a man of God. Followings are few references:

– 1 Samuel 12 (Full Chapter)

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

However, when we see the life of Samuel, we notice the political and social characteristics of men chosen by God.

During the times id Judges, it was apparent that worshipping of other gods was permissible. There was a military pressure on Israel from its neighbouring countries. However, when we see the life of Samuel, we will notice that God was preparing him. He was being prepared to be used of God and be a blessing to the nations.

Samuel was faithfully serving the God. At the sametine servicing under Eli.

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

Given at the age of this boy Samuel, it is likely that governments may not have given him the responsibilities he had received at that age.

And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

If we say that we aren’t hearing the word of God or seeing His favour, that because we are not listening to Him.

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord . And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord .

Samuel grew in the favour of the Lord and it didn’t stopped there, he continued to grow. The presence of God continued to be with him, appeared to him and worked into the life of Samuel and made him a great judge, priest and a prophet.

The favour of God in the life of Samuel was tangible. And with Samuel, nations were given new hope. The rise of Samuel marks the era from the chaos under Judges to the hopefulness of nations.

Peiple turned against God and found arc of God rather than finding God of Arc.

And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the Lord . From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord . And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.

So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

When favour of God is upon you, it will produce tangible benefits.

Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord .

Hannah had faced bitterness and distress, but she was a woman who had hope in the Lord. She was a faithful woman who had made a vow to God. After God’s promise was fulfilled, she never felt that she had no hope. God blessed her immensely.

Samuel was ministering before the Lord , a boy clothed with a linen ephod. And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

We see here that the faithfulness of mother and son was what God had honoured.

Church, if you seek God and when His favour will be upon you, your family will also experience God’s blessing.

Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.

Do you seek blessings from God? Do you seek tangible blessings? Do you want your life to grow in favour of God just like Samuel received from God? If your answer is yes, then today is the day to submit to God and seek His presence in your life. Pray and seek God’s favour and blessings will follow.

We are glad that God has spoken through this message yet again. We look forward to see you again next Sunday. God bless!