Answering the Call" - 1 Samuel 3:1-12 - Pastor Charles Smith II

First Samuel 3 sets the house before a young Samuel, ministering unto the Lord before Eli, in a day when the word of the Lord was precious and there was no open vision. The Lord calls the child, and Samuel keeps running to Eli because Samuel does not yet know the Lord, neither has the word of the Lord yet been revealed unto him. Eli finally perceives what is happening and gives the child the right response: “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” The Lord then establishes Samuel, lets none of his words fall to the ground, and all Israel knows that Samuel is a prophet of the Lord.

Answering the call of God brings alignment and guidance to the believer’s life. The call moves decisions, choices, goals, and pursuits out from under fear, comfort, and personal ambition, and puts them under faith, trust, hope, and understanding. Philippians 1:6 gives confidence that the God who began a good work will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Even when the path is uncertain, God’s guidance brings clarity because the believer is not alone.

Christ gives the clearest picture of alignment when He nears the cross. The cup is heavy, but the Son says, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” The “nevertheless” becomes the posture of a life aligned with the Father, regardless of what it looks like, regardless of how it feels, regardless of what the flesh thinks. Trusting God causes the child of God to win in this life and in the life to come.

Answering God’s call also strengthens faith because the call requires trust, obedience, and dependence. The path is not always easy, and the plan is not always totally manifested. Faith moves forward with expectation when the object is not seen, because “an object seen is not faith.” Hebrews 11 says faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

Answering God’s call brings fulfillment and satisfaction because the believer’s will comes into alignment with God’s purpose, plan, and will. The outcome is joy and peace, not because temporal things are fixed, but because the Holy Ghost leads into true kingdom living. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

The call also requires laying aside every weight. A weight is not necessarily a sin, but it is heavy enough to hinder or slow the walk. The believer is called to run with patience, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. Samuel’s name means “God has heard,” and Samuel’s life shows that a child is not too young to answer the call.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s call brings divine alignment. The call of God does not merely add religious activity to a life. The call reorders the motives beneath decisions, so fear, comfort, and personal ambition no longer drive the believer. Divine alignment gives the soul a stronger sense of purpose because God Himself guides what truly matters. [56:24]
• 2. Nevertheless is the language of surrender. Christ’s “nevertheless” shows that obedience is not the absence of pressure, sorrow, or struggle. Surrender speaks when the cup is still bitter and the cross is still ahead. A life aligned with the Father learns to trust God beyond what the eyes see and beyond what the flesh feels. [58:55]
• 3. Faith moves before seeing clearly. Answering God’s call often requires movement before the whole plan is manifested. Faith is not strengthened by controlling every outcome, but by trusting God while the object is still unseen. The believer grows as obedience keeps walking under the umbrella of faith. [61:18]
• 4. Weights can slow holy running. A weight may not be sin, but heaviness can still hinder the race. The believer must discern what drains obedience, delays focus, or makes the walk sluggish. Running with patience requires eyes fixed on Jesus, not the blocks, not the obstacles, and not the surroundings. [66:45]
• 5. Samuel answered while still young. Samuel’s call shows that age does not limit consecration. The child who answers God does not have to wait for a certain season, a certain age, or worldly experience before surrendering. God can establish a young life and let none of His words fall to the ground.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [49:56] - Standing for the Word
• [50:15] - Opening Prayer
• [52:31] - Reading First Samuel 3
• [55:48] - Answering the Call
• [56:24] - The Call Brings Alignment
• [58:55] - Christ’s Nevertheless
• [60:17] - The Call Strengthens Faith
• [61:18] - Moving Forward With Expectation
• [62:25] - Fulfillment and Satisfaction
• [63:50] - Kingdom Righteousness, Peace, and Joy
• [66:00] - Laying Aside Every Weight
• [67:11] - Run With Patience
• [70:50] - Samuel Means God Has Heard
• [73:29] - Corporate Prayer for Healing

Bible Reading

1 Samuel 3:1-12, 19-20
“And 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. And 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; And 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; That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And 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. And 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. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. And 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. Therefore 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. And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. ... And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.” [52:31]

Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” [01:01:49]

Philippians 1:6
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” [57:53]

Romans 14:17
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” [01:03:50]

Observation questions

1. In 1 Samuel 3, what repeated pattern is seen in the way Samuel responds when he hears his name, and when does Eli finally understand what is happening? [52:31]
2. According to 1 Samuel 3:10, what exact response was Samuel told to give when the Lord called him again?
3. What are the three results connected to answering God’s call: alignment and guidance, strengthened faith, and fulfillment and satisfaction? [56:24]
4. What does the passage in Romans 14:17 say the kingdom of God is made up of, and what three words are emphasized there? [01:03:50]

Interpretation questions

1. Samuel heard the voice, but at first he did not know it was the Lord. What might that show about how a person can be near the things of God and still need to learn His voice clearly? [53:55]
2. “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth” is a posture of humility and readiness. What does that response reveal about the kind of heart God is looking for when He calls someone? [54:34]
3. Jesus said, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” What does that word “nevertheless” teach about surrender when obedience is difficult and the path feels costly? [58:55]
4. Hebrews 11:1 speaks of faith in what is not seen. How does that help explain why answering God’s call often requires movement before everything is fully clear? [01:01:18]

Application questions

1. What is one area of life right now where decisions have been shaped more by fear, comfort, or personal ambition than by faith, trust, and obedience? What would alignment with God look like in that area? [57:17]
2. “Nevertheless” is the language of surrender. Where is a “nevertheless” needed right now—in a relationship, a calling, a hard decision, or a place of disappointment? What would it look like to say, “Not my will, but Yours be done”? [59:36]
3. Faith moves before seeing clearly. Is there something God may be calling this group member to do that has been delayed until every detail makes sense? What small step of obedience could be taken this week? [01:01:18]
4. A weight is not necessarily a sin, but it can still slow the walk. What has been feeling heavy lately—schedule, habits, distractions, relationships, discouragement, or something else—and how might that be affecting spiritual focus? [01:06:45]
5. Running with patience requires eyes fixed on Jesus and not on the obstacles or on other people in the race. What has been pulling attention away from Christ lately, and how can focus be brought back to Him in a practical way? [01:07:44]
6. True fulfillment is tied to righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Where has the search for satisfaction been drifting toward temporary things, and where has God already been offering deeper peace? [01:03:50]
7. Samuel answered while still young, and his life shows that no one is too young to respond to God. How can younger believers be encouraged to take God seriously now instead of waiting for a later season? [01:10:50]