Samuel - Name of God - God Hears

Sermon Notes
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We are have roles to play in God's story.

These roles all have different characters, but the role of the whole is to bear the image and self-disclosure of God and God's story in the world.

Therefore, we observe:

1. We all long to have something of ourselves to give back to God.
2. Everything that we ever have to give comes from God.
3. There is a desire to leave something of ourselves in the world and for the world to bless the world.

God hears the prayer that longs for this.

God's name is made known through those who desire this.

Here is a different cast of character over a long period of time:

Sara, Hannah, Elizabeth, Mary - All had unexpected pregnancies.

One of these wanted nothing more.

Hannah, mother of Samuel, the last of the judges of Israel

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Some Background:

• The name Elkanah is a Hebrew name for boys that means "God has purchased" or "God has created". It comes from the words el, meaning "God", and qaneh, meaning "to acquire".
• The name Peninnah is of Hebrew origin and means "pearl" or "precious stone". It comes from the Hebrew word pəninā.
  The name Hannah is a feminine name of Hebrew origin that comes from the root ḥ-n-n, which means "favor" or "grace". It can also be spelled Hanna, Hana, Hanah, or Chana.
• The name Eli is of Hebrew origin and means "high" or "elevated": Etymology: The name comes from the Hebrew word aliyah, which means "ascent" or "reaching higher ground"
• The name Samuel can mean either God Hears or The Name of God
• Theotokos - God Bearer
• Nazarite - an Israelite consecrated to the service of God, under vows to abstain from alcohol, let the hair grow, and avoid defilement by contact with corpses (Num. 6).

What is produced from our lives, dedicated to God, and released to the world to bear the image of God in the world?
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1 Samuel 1:4-20
Hannah's prayers answered

On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, but to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb.  Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.

So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.

Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"

After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the LORD. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.

She made this vow: "O LORD of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head."

As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth.

Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

So Eli said to her, "How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine."

But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.

Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time."

Then Eli answered, "Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him."

And she said, "Let your servant find favor in your sight." Then the woman went her way and ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.

They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the LORD."
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What's the point of longing foe a son if you are just going to give him back to God under the care of the priest.

Again:

1. We all long to have something of ourselves to give back to God.
2. Everything that we ever have to give comes from God.
3. There is a desire to leave something of ourselves in the world and for the world to bless the world.

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1 Samuel 2:1-10
My heart exults

Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in my God. My mouth derides my enemies because I rejoice in your victory. There is no Holy One like the LORD, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

Talk no more so very proudly; let not arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength.

Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.

The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low; he also exalts.

He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.

He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked will perish in darkness, for not by might does one prevail.

The LORD! His adversaries will be shattered; the Most High will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed."
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The book of Samuel is written years after the events from stories collected and told, most likely, during the reign of King David.

Why, because Hannah is talking about a King when there was no king.

That does not mean that someone put these words in Hannah's mouth; it just means that they would have had no significance to anyone except God who was going to use Samuel to introduce the first two kings to Israel, one of which would have Messianic significance which would come to rest upon the one who would, in his messianic role, be called the Son of David.

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Additional Thoughts

"Theotokos" means "God-bearer."

Rachmaninov composed it as a tribute to Mary, who bore the Son of God and in whom God was incarnate, appealing to her prayers on our behalf.

That being said, are you not a God-bearer in whom the Son of God incarnates Himself in the world and through whom He shows His love and compassion for humanity?

Therefore, are you, we, and all of us not called upon to pray for one another this morning? (James 5:16)

To be ever vigilant in prayer? (Colossians 4:2-4)

To be grave conquerors? (Romans 8:37)

There are people who are hoping in our intercessions as we hope in the intercessions of others.

Bear God, this morning, to a hurting world. Bear God as light in darkness. Share His love. Do His bidding. Lift the fallen. Bring hope where there is no hope. Feed the hungry. Heal the sick.

Raise the dead.

Freely, you have received; freely give.