Persisting in Faithfulness: Living After God's Heart
Summary
### Summary
In our journey through the book of 1 Samuel, we are exploring what it means to live after God's own heart. Today, we delved into 1 Samuel chapter 2, focusing on the theme of "Persisting in Faithfulness." We are not called to pursue perfectionism, which is impossible in our sinful state, but rather to persist in faithfulness. This is exemplified in the life of David, who, despite his significant failings, was still called a man after God's own heart. This gives us hope that we too can strive to live faithfully.
Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 provides a profound insight into faithfulness. She praises God for His salvation and acknowledges that strength alone does not lead to victory; it is by God's grace that we prevail. This is echoed in the New Testament, where Paul emphasizes that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our own works.
The chapter contrasts the faithfulness of Hannah and her son Samuel with the corruption of Eli and his sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Despite the corrupt environment, Samuel grew in favor with the Lord, highlighting that faithfulness is not dependent on our surroundings but on our relationship with God. Eli's failure to discipline his sons led to their downfall, showing the importance of honoring God above all else, even our own family.
The sermon challenges us to examine our own lives and ensure that we are not placing anything or anyone above God. It calls us to be faithful in all aspects of our lives, relying not on our own strength but on God's grace.
### Key Takeaways
1. Faithfulness Over Perfectionism: We are not called to be perfect but to persist in faithfulness. David, despite his significant sins, was still called a man after God's own heart. This teaches us that our relationship with God is not about being sinless but about being faithful. [01:26]
2. Strength vs. Grace: Hannah's prayer reveals that no one prevails by their own strength; it is by God's grace that we are saved. This is a cornerstone of our faith, echoed in Ephesians 2:8-9, where Paul states that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. [09:10]
3. Faithfulness in Corrupt Environments: Samuel grew in favor with the Lord despite the corrupt environment of Eli's household. This shows that our faithfulness to God is not dependent on our surroundings but on our commitment to Him. [17:46]
4. The Danger of Misplaced Faithfulness: Eli's failure to discipline his sons and his preference for them over God led to their downfall. This teaches us the importance of honoring God above all else, even our own family. Misplaced faithfulness can lead to severe consequences. [36:36]
5. God's Love and Grace: Our relationship with God is based on His love and grace, not our own strength. God loved us first and planned our salvation before the foundation of the world. This should inspire us to remain faithful, knowing that our strength comes from Him. [32:15]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:26] - Introduction to 1 Samuel
[03:04] - Persisting in Faithfulness
[04:40] - Corporate Prayer
[06:02] - Hannah's Prayer
[09:10] - Faithfulness Not by Strength
[10:37] - Prophetic Nature of Hannah's Prayer
[13:13] - Performance vs. Grace
[16:22] - Growing in Favor with the Lord
[17:46] - Corruption in Eli's Household
[20:18] - The Sin of Eli's Sons
[24:33] - Eli's Failure to Discipline
[27:30] - Faithfulness Despite Corruption
[32:15] - God's Love and Grace
[36:36] - The Danger of Misplaced Faithfulness
[45:19] - Honoring God Above All
[50:48] - Call to Salvation
[55:31] - Examination of Faithfulness
[59:11] - Closing Remarks
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. 1 Samuel 2:1-10 - Hannah's Prayer
2. Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
3. 1 John 4:10 - "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 reveal about her understanding of God's power and grace?
2. How does Ephesians 2:8-9 relate to the theme of "Persisting in Faithfulness" discussed in the sermon? [14:49]
3. What were the consequences of Eli's failure to discipline his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, as described in 1 Samuel 2? [24:33]
4. How did Samuel manage to grow in favor with the Lord despite the corrupt environment of Eli's household? [17:46]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that Hannah acknowledges in her prayer that "by strength no man shall prevail"? How does this align with the New Testament teaching in Ephesians 2:8-9? [09:10]
2. What does the contrast between Samuel's faithfulness and the corruption of Eli's sons teach us about the importance of personal commitment to God over our environment? [17:46]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the danger of misplaced faithfulness, particularly in the context of Eli's relationship with his sons? [36:36]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's love and grace are foundational to our relationship with Him, as seen in 1 John 4:10? [32:15]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you are striving for perfectionism rather than persisting in faithfulness? How can you shift your focus to faithfulness? [03:04]
2. Hannah's prayer emphasizes that victory comes by God's grace, not by our own strength. How can you rely more on God's grace in your daily challenges? [09:10]
3. Samuel grew in favor with the Lord despite a corrupt environment. Are there negative influences in your life that you need to overcome to remain faithful to God? How can you do this? [17:46]
4. Eli's failure to discipline his sons led to severe consequences. Are there areas in your life where you might be placing others or other things above God? How can you correct this? [36:36]
5. The sermon challenges us to honor God above all else. What practical steps can you take this week to ensure that God is the highest priority in your life? [45:19]
6. Reflect on the concept of God's love and grace as foundational to your relationship with Him. How does this understanding impact your daily walk with God? [32:15]
7. The sermon calls us to examine our faithfulness. What specific actions can you take to be more faithful in your relationship with God, your family, and your community? [55:31]
Devotional
Day 1: Faithfulness Over Perfectionism
Persisting in faithfulness is more important than striving for perfection. David, despite his significant sins, was still called a man after God's own heart. This teaches us that our relationship with God is not about being sinless but about being faithful. We are encouraged to persist in our faith journey, knowing that God values our commitment and dedication over our ability to be perfect. This perspective allows us to approach our spiritual walk with humility and reliance on God's grace rather than our own strength. [01:26]
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV): "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'"
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you striving for perfection instead of faithfulness? How can you shift your focus to being faithful in those areas today?
Day 2: Strength vs. Grace
Hannah's prayer reveals that no one prevails by their own strength; it is by God's grace that we are saved. This is a cornerstone of our faith, echoed in Ephesians 2:8-9, where Paul states that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. Hannah's acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and grace in her prayer serves as a reminder that our victories and successes are not due to our own abilities but are gifts from God. This understanding should lead us to a posture of gratitude and dependence on God's grace in all aspects of our lives. [09:10]
Zechariah 4:6 (ESV): "Then he said to me, 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.'"
Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge or success in your life. How can you acknowledge and give thanks for God's grace in that situation rather than attributing it to your own strength?
Day 3: Faithfulness in Corrupt Environments
Samuel grew in favor with the Lord despite the corrupt environment of Eli's household. This shows that our faithfulness to God is not dependent on our surroundings but on our commitment to Him. Samuel's example encourages us to remain steadfast in our faith, even when we are surrounded by negative influences or challenging circumstances. Our relationship with God can thrive regardless of our environment if we remain dedicated to seeking Him and living according to His will. [17:46]
Philippians 2:15 (ESV): "That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."
Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you feel your environment is hindering your faithfulness to God? What steps can you take to remain committed to God despite these challenges?
Day 4: The Danger of Misplaced Faithfulness
Eli's failure to discipline his sons and his preference for them over God led to their downfall. This teaches us the importance of honoring God above all else, even our own family. Misplaced faithfulness can lead to severe consequences. We are called to prioritize our relationship with God and ensure that nothing and no one takes precedence over Him. This requires us to make difficult decisions at times, but it is essential for maintaining our spiritual integrity and honoring God. [36:36]
Matthew 10:37 (ESV): "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
Reflection: Is there someone or something in your life that you have placed above your relationship with God? How can you realign your priorities to honor God first?
Day 5: God's Love and Grace
Our relationship with God is based on His love and grace, not our own strength. God loved us first and planned our salvation before the foundation of the world. This should inspire us to remain faithful, knowing that our strength comes from Him. Understanding the depth of God's love and grace should lead us to a deeper commitment to Him and a greater reliance on His power in our daily lives. We are encouraged to rest in the assurance of His love and to draw strength from His grace as we navigate our spiritual journey. [32:15]
Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV): "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will."
Reflection: How does knowing that God loved you and planned your salvation before the foundation of the world impact your daily walk with Him? What steps can you take to rely more on His grace and less on your own strength?
Quotes
1. "We are not called to pursue perfectionism, not every we are not called to be perfect and I know that is a relief for some of you but however because that is impossible in the state of sin that we do live in but rather we called to be persisting in faithfulness, and that's the title of our sermon today, and that's what we're going to try to aim to learn from 1 Samuel chapter 2, persisting in faithfulness." [03:04] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Faithfulness is not by strength. In fact, this is the first aspect we see here. By strength, none prevail. This is the first aspect of faithfulness. By strength, none prevail. Look back in verse number nine and chapter number two, and you will see this profound truth in her prayer. That's one of the, in my viewpoint, one of the cornerstones of this pursuit of faithfulness, the study of faithfulness. She says something eerily familiar to us in the New Testament understanding. At the end of verse number nine, she says, for by strength, no man shall prevail." [09:10] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Do you know as a child of God today, your strength is not measured in your relationship with God? I know that seems to be opposite in everything of the world that we live in. I mean, how we act and conduct and behave. I mean, how we act and conduct and behave. I mean, how we act and conduct and behave in our family is performance-based. As a spouse or anything of that nature, try not to do any of the chores in the house that you're assigned to and see the level of determination of the happiness of the spouse that you live with will go down dramatically once you abandon that." [13:13] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "If it was left to your, if it was left up to you, if it was left up to you, if it was left up to you, if it was left up to your strength and mind, we would determinedly and drastically fail every day on our, on our relationship with the Lord. If it was left up to alone, how well we do, we would always fail. Many of us can kind of attest to that in some, in some form of relationships that we have. Sometimes we have good days. Sometimes we have bad days. Sometimes we have good seasons. Sometimes we have bad seasons. When it comes to God, it's not by your strength. It's by his grace." [14:49] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Despite the corruptness, because you got to go back here 2000 years ago. I know in America, we're pretty blessed when you get mad at one church or you're getting tired of one church, when one church is really starting to just go against God and rightfully so you can go to another church. Israelites didn't have that choice. There was only one first Baptist of Shiloh and it was the only first Baptist of Shiloh. You get what I'm saying? There was no other church. This was the only temple that you go to. Despite that temple of God being so corrupt at this time, it says from verse 18 to verse 20 and verse 21 that Hannah and Eltona faithfully year by year went to the temple." [27:30] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Are you like the little boy, Samuel, right now? Do you come to the house of God? Do you minister to the Lord, as, as what the Bible says? But what verse 7 out of chapter 3 tells us, you do not yet know the Lord. Isn't that odd, even in the Old Testament? Here's a little boy who not only comes to the house of God, he works in the house of God, he performs the little duties of the house of God, he, he attends his Sunday school, he does all the things that the pastor of the church wants him to do. He does all the things that the pastor of the church wants him to do, but he doesn't have a relationship with God." [50:48] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Brothers and sisters in Christ, what of us as children to our Heavenly Father? As citizens, not of this world, but of the kingdom of God. Can, can you and I examine your life and find yourself being faithful? Remember, that's our phrase here, persisting in faithfulness. Can we be found faithful in God, in all things, in your callings, in your employments, in your family, in your personal goals, in serving none, in serving no one, in serving, in serving your children, your grandchildren, your employer, in serving no one more than serving God in the complete and totality of your life." [52:34] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "God saves you when you weren't perfect. And he's continually molding you to be more like Christ. We understood that in last week's lesson. And we were called to be a faithful servant. Not a perfect one. That leads us to this last truth that when we understand faithfulness and it kind of flows out in the scripture here in Samuel's life, that there's a danger in faithfulness. When we misplace it, the only reason how you can misplace faithfulness, the only reason why you can drift away from staying faithful to God, the only reason how that could ever occur is because of the same sin that Eli was committing here. You would begin to honor others." [35:17] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Eli's chief sin as a high priest, as the one who's supposed to be the religious spiritual leader of the nation of Israel, was that he honored his sons more than the Lord. There's a complete difference here between Eli and how he handles his children and Hannah, how she handles Samuel. Samuel grows in Hannah's faithfulness. Hophni and Phineas, the two sons, rose in Eli's lassity. Remember I said, what, what, what would have changed? What would have been different if Elkanah and Hannah, the mom and dad of Samuel, uh, would have said, you know what? We're tired of the temple. We're going to take Samuel out of the temple." [39:19] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "You know, the Bible says, a lot about this. He made an idol of his children and worshiped them more than the Lord. In fact, Luke chapter 12, verse 49 and 56, when Christ came into this world, he said something completely paradox to what the world and what the Jews especially wanted to hear. He said, I came to send fire on the earth and how I wish it was already kindled, but I have a baptism to be baptized with the baptism of death and how distressed I am until it is accomplished. Do you suppose? Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth?" [45:19] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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