Christ Presbyterian Church | Bible books 1 Samuel

Hearing God’s Call

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 3:1-19 | Preacher: Nick Whitaker | Series: Each & Every

Because God has given us His presence and called us to prayer, we must diligently listen to God’s Word in His presence and seek Him in prayer.
1 Samuel 3:1–19 (ESV): 3 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.
2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
4 Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
6 And the LORD called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.”
19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.

Abigail’s Story: peacemaking in a violent world

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 25 | Preacher: Joshua Burdette | Series: The Stories We Live By

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It’s the Golden Rule, but it’s much easier to follow when you’re starting with a blank slate. What do we do when we’ve already been mistreated? Do we repay evil with evil; violence with violence? How do we de-escalate a situation when tensions are high and it seems like everyone is armed to the teeth? This Sunday we look at the story of a peacemaker named Abigail.

The Story of the Cave

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 24:1–22 | Preacher: Johnathan Keenan | Series: The Stories We Live By

It’s hard to wait. It’s especially hard to wait when things are out of your control and you don’t know when the waiting will be over. Waiting tends to bring out our anger and even hatred for those things that make us wait. How can we take seriously the pain of waiting without losing our patience?

Jonathan’s Story

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 18:1-5, 19:4-6, 20:40-42 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By

We’ve all seen the headlines: loneliness is on the rise; communities are fragmented; adult friendship is harder than ever. Most of us have felt those headlines personally and deeply. We know the pain of isolation and the unrequited desire for companionship. Many of us give up on friendships and pour ourselves into work and busyness instead. Is there a better way?

The Story of Goliath

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 17 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By

Many of the problems we face are simply beyond us. I suppose this is the reason we love hero stories. It is also why we live in fear. We relate to the need to have someone who can fight our battles and rescue us from danger. But, unfortunately, in the real world such heroes do not exist. Even when we initially think we have found a savior, we are often left dissolution when they turn out to have clay feet. But the Bible tells us that God’s people don’t have to live in fear.

The Story of David’s Anointing

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 | Preacher: Joshua Burdette | Series: The Stories We Live By

We know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but we do it all the time. At times, our first impressions are accurate, but often, they mislead us. God seems to like surprises. He often binds the best stories in dusty old books with tattered covers. Join us this Sunday as we look at the story of a surprise new king and his anointing.

Saul’s Story

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 8:4–7; 10:17–19, 22–24; 13:1, 13–14 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By

Some of us have the tendency to take credit for our successes while blaming circumstances for our failures. But if God is sovereign, we must see our best traits—even our hard work and determination—as gifts that are not earned but received. Join us this week as we learn from the story of a king named Saul the danger of entitlement and the reward of trusting God.

The Ark’s Story (part 1)

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 4:1-11 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By

Some people carry a rabbit’s foot for good luck; others call upon a favorite saint to give them fortune; others still suppose that a cross around their neck will ward off calamity. Yet the God of the Bible cannot be conjured or manipulated. How can we trust a God whom we cannot control?

The Story of Eli’s House

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 2:12, 17, 22–35 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By

Abuse of power, hypocrisy, absence of leadership—these realities seem to mark our world. Sadly, tragically, they also describe the church. In such a situation it is easy to become cynical and hard to trust authority. And yet, it seems, that at a fundamental level people cannot exist without leadership. In these dark times of scandal and abuse, where do God’s people turn? How can they move forward in the face of so much corruption. This week we will see that these are the exact questions that 1 Samuel asks and answers.

Samuel’s Story

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 3:1–10, 19–21 | Preacher: Joshua Burdette | Series: The Stories We Live By

2020 was an especially disorienting year. It was difficult to discern truth from error, reality from fiction, and where to be confident and where to show circumspection. The good news is that we are not the first or only people to experience this. When we open the book of 1 Samuel, Israel is in a very similar situation. This week we are reminded that even though we live in a world with varying shades of gray, God does not leave his people without a clear witness to the truth, and is faithful to provide his word, which is a light in the darkness.