Year 2 Day 189

Year 2 Day 189


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 2:27-29


Message - Alan Burke 


A couple of Sunday evenings ago I asked three questions during the sermon; Why do you think that? Why do you feel that way? Why do you believe that? They are simple enough aren’t they. Why do you think that? Why do you feel that way? Why do you believe that? If you’re talking about the love that I have for Tayto Cheese and Onion crisps then the answers don’t really matter, but when it comes to matters of faith, how we bring glory to God and what God requires of us, the answers do matter and the answers should be each case because it is founded upon and agreeable to the word of God. Here’s the thing, does it matter to you what the word of God teaches, do you really care, do you take the time examine his word? I’ll leave this with you for a moment or two. 


Here we are introduced to a man of God who came to Eli, who came with the word of God. Were not told anything about him, it doesn’t matter if he was a price or a pauper, what mattered is that he came with the word of the Lord in a time of desperate need. 


Eli is reminded what Lord had done. How he revealed himself (27c), how he chosen them to be his priests (28a), how he gave the offerings providing for the them (28b). In their priestly duty as they ascended the alter of the Lord, to the place of sacrifice, to burn incense, to wear an ephod that made the priest a representative of the people before the Lord, and represent the Lord to the people. They were also given all that they needed in the sacrificial system. The priest were generously provided for, they did not have the back breaking labour in the field, in a time of substance farming the family of Eli and his sons who were the inheritors of the promise to Aaron were blessed. 


This was a high calling and a privilege. Even though the Lord had done all of this for Eli, he had not been a faithful priest. Look there in verse 29 the retort that comes to Eli, the language that is used… “Why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings that I prescribed for my dwelling. Why do you honour yours sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?” (2:28-9)


God had not left them to their own devices or imaginations in how he was to be worshiped, rather he had given his people the ceremonial law that directed his people how they should come before him a holy God. Eli might have thought, he might have felt, he might have believed, but it is clear that it did not matter what the word of God taught, that he did not really care, even if he did take the time to examine the word of God, it no longer mattered. I asked earlier, ‘does it matter to you what the word of God teaches, do you really care, do you take the time examine his word?’ In your life is it God’s Word where you turn to, at worship individually, with family and corporately is it the Word that is the foundation of what you do? What areas of life are we happy to have that are not founded upon and agreeable to the word of God? 


For those in Christ today, in our lives as we love the Lord we should see to obey him, not to earn salvation but to show we love our God, it should not be a burden to us it should not be a weight around our neck, rather it should become freeing. We are to love our God and if we love our saviour Jesus Christ then we should desire to keep his commands (Jn 14:15). We will not do this perfectly but it should be our desire as we seek to bring glory to God.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q71 What is required in the seventh commandment?
The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbour’ s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior. (1 Cor. 7:2–3,5,34,36, Col. 4:6, 1 Pet. 3:2)
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