I Samuel 2:11-13a New Living Translation… Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest. 12Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord 13or for their duties as priests…
Introduction: Remember that our objective in this series is to plant seeds of healthy spiritual rhythms, that create a rich and fulfilling relationship with God.
When God gave Hannah what she prayed for, Hannah gave God what she promised.
God is pleased by service, but God is not fooled by titles.
Transition: God is not merely looking for someone to stand in sacred spaces. God is looking for someone who will serve with sacred submission.
Exposition: Here are five principles for progress, s it relates to being of service which pleases…
-Service begins with surrender… verse 11
-Service is formed in ordinary faithfulness… verse 11
Reference Mark 10:43-45
-Service grows us… verse 26
-Service must be faithful, not just functional… verse 35
-Service should become more than a hobby… I Samuel 3:1
Do not allow the darkness around you to cancel the discipline within you!
Conclusion/Challenge: Make it a priority this week to do something that costs you.
God can use our ordinary faithfulness to produce extraordinary fruit!
I Samuel 1:9-18 New Living Translation… Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. 10Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. 11And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”
12As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. 13Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. 14“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”
15 “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord.16Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”
17“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”
18“Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.
Introduction: The objective of this sermonic trilogy is to plant seeds of healthy spiritual rhythms that create a rich and fulfilling relationship with God.
This series is called Principles-4-Progress because progress in God requires principles that please God.
Sometimes prayer is silence because the pain is too deep for vocabulary.
Transition: It is possible to be in sacred space and still carry secret sorrow.
Exposition: Hannah’s prayer is composed of at least a trichotomy of progressive principles: pain, plea, and peace.
Hannah prays from the posture of pain.
Hannah’s plea is honest and specific.
Hannah finds peace after prayer.
Conclusion/Challenge: Whatever your heaviest weight is, bring it to God for the next five days. Because when pain becomes prayer, and prayer becomes surrender, and surrender becomes peace, you will discover that God has been working things out for you the whole time!
Introduction: Group Therapy Rules… 1) This is a no judgment, just Jesus zone. 2) Honesty with yourself and God is necessary. 3) Once you’ve made progress, you have a responsibility to to pass it on.
Most of the joylessness in our journey comes when we try to live on something instead of living for something.
Reference John 16:22, Ecclesiastes 2:10, Proverbs 17:22
Transition: Three times in the Gospels, Jesus admonishes to cheer up…
–Matthew 9:2 “Be of good cheer, son; your sins are forgiven.”
–Matthew 14:27 “Be of good cheer; it is I; do not be afraid.”
–John 16:33 “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Exposition: This 30th selection of the Psalms has at least three essential elements that help us ascertain joy for the journey: pride, prayer, and praise.
-The psalm confronts the danger of pride… verses 6-7
-The psalm teaches us the power of prayer… verses 8-10
-The psalm is an invitation to praise… verses 1-3, 11-12
Conclusion:“Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. (verses 4-5)”
Introduction: We have seemingly lost the capacity for the reality that God still speaks.
-God speaks in the stillness… Reference John 20:11-18, I Samuel 3:8, I Kings 19:22
-God speaks through thunder… Reference Exodus 20:18-19, Job 40:9
Transition: Whether it’s in a still small voice or in the thunder of a storm, God still speaks!
God’s voice is so majestic that we cannot limit it to any single style, shape, or sort.
Exposition: What value doe’s the voice of God possess that’s a present to us?
God’s voice brings VICTORY. “The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon” (verse 5). Reference Isaiah 2, Isaiah 55:11
God’s voice brings JOY. “He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox” (verse 6).
God’s voice brings FIRE. “The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire” (verse 7). Reference Isaiah 1:25, Isaiah 6
God’s voice brings LIFE. Reference Luke 7:11-17, Mark 5:21-43, John 11
Conclusion:“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever” (verse 10). God makes his throne above any storm, making the last great word of this selection PEACE.
Psalm 27 New Living Translation…The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? 2 When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.
4 The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. 5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.
7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! 8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” 9 Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation! 10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. 11Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. 12Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence.
13Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
Introduction: It’s not necessary to know the context of trouble, for you to connect with the harsh reality that trouble exists and that we all experience it without you having to look for it. We don’t know when it was written, and we don’t know the circumstances or conditions it was written under.
Transition: L-I-F-E is tough. It is filled with variables that will leave you vulnerable when you aren’t in tune with the divine constant.
Exposition:
–Affirmation of confidence. verses 1-3
To be confident, evokes assurance of power, certainty of character, and faith in spite of facts.
Reference… Hebrews 13:8, Philippians 1:6
–Supplication for presence. verses 4-6
Supplication is desperate desire. David prays with a passionate push, because he’s aware that just the presence of God alone is powerful.
–Supplication for presents. verses 7-12
Mercy is a present. Mercy is when God doesn’t give us what we deserved.
–Exhortation for confidence. verses 13-14
Be confident that God is working on your behalf!
Conclusion: “Living in the presence of God, is greater than living in the absence of trouble”. ~Dr. Howard John Wesley
Objective: With improvement in mind, we will use Acts 16 as a guide for discipleship development, to lose our restrictive view in favor of God’s unrestricted power for progress.
The Painful Profit
Acts 16:16-40 New Living Translation… One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”
18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.
19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20 “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. 21 “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”
22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” 36 So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”
37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”
38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
Introduction: From a place of great pain that became profit, Horatio Gates Spafford wrote It Is Well With My Soul…
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
(Refrain:) It is well (it is well), with my soul (with my soul), It is well, it is well with my soul.
Pain is the crucible of the Christian which is the passageway for meaningful ministry.
Overwhelming Observations:
Pain Is…
–Severe: II Corinthians 2:8-10
–Seasonal: II Corinthians 4:17
Profit is…
–Conversion: II Corinthians 5:17
–Community: Acts 16:40
Punchline: Serving the Lord requires us to learn how to turn a darkroom into a SONroom!
Conclusion: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…”
Objective: With improvement in mind, we will use Acts 16 as a guide for discipleship development, to lose our restrictive view in favor of God’s unrestricted power for progress.
Stick To The Plan
Introduction: One of the most frustrating facets of life’s journey, is coming to grips with the reality of unexpected shifts, twists, and turns.
Evangelism is defined as the sharing of the gospel through preaching and/or personal witness.
Overwhelming Observations: Stick to the plan, because…
–No one is exempt: don’t overlook the marginalized
References… Romans 2:11, Luke 8:1-3, Mark 16:1, Mark 16:5-7, Mark 16:9-10.
–Someone is expecting: don’t overlook the value of moments
References… Hebrews 10:25, John 5:4.
–Everyone connected is exposed: don’t overlook the power of your influence
Reference… Barna Study: Around 82% of people would consider attending church if invited by a close friend, but only about 2% of Christians actively invite friends to church, meaning a significant gap exists between potential attendees and those who are actually invited.
Punchline: When the church sits down it opens the door for comfortable communication that changes lives.
Conclusion: Sticking to the plan requires us to get our minds right, because we get stuck where we were meant to start.
Objective: With improvement in mind, we will use Acts 16 as a guide for discipleship development, to lose our restrictive view in favor of God’s unrestricted power for progress.
Dealing With God’s No
Introduction: When mortal control meets divine sovereignty, there will either be humble submission or hard headed rebellion.
Overwhelming Observations:
Reference Ephesians 3:20
-No doesn’t require any explanation (verse 6-8)
-No doesn’t mean cancelled, its a call (verse 9)
-No turns darkness into direction (verse 9)
-No turns potential into proclamation (verse 10)
Punchline: God’s no reveals our spiritual maturity, with the aim of toddler-like tantrums not hindering the progress of the grown-up work of the gospel.
Conclusion: No is hard to hear, but it’s helpful for who we are to become and for who will be made better because we committed to getting our minds right!
Objective: With improvement in mind, we will use Acts 16 as a guide for discipleship development, to lose our restrictive view in favor of God’s unrestricted power for progress.
Introduction: Christians fully understand the precious beauty of birth, but we also understand the blessed burden of being bound to the purposes of God.
Transition: Luke, the author of our text, quickly shares a biographical sketch of who Paul meets. Verse 1 “…there was a young disciple named Timothy“.
Antonie E. Walker Ministries 