1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,080 Please be seated. It's wonderful to see you all 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:09,040 this morning. We are going to be continuing in 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:10,280 a. Series we started. 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:16,640 Last Sunday on First Samuel and you can find the passage for 5 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,440 today's message for on page 212 in the. 6 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:23,320 Black Church Bible page 212 or please. 7 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:27,040 Open it up in your own Bible. If you brought one, you'll want 8 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,680 to follow along. Today's message is. 9 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,600 A very sober. Message from a very. 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,240 Sober passage. It's a sober warning against 11 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,520 forsaking the Lord, who must always remain our first. 12 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:43,480 Love. So as we come to this, let's. 13 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:46,840 Pray together. Almighty God, we praise and 14 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,240 thank you. That you do speak to us. 15 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,360 And your word is a sign of your. Love for us. 16 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,160 We praise you for this good gift. 17 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,880 We praise you for these stories. That help us make sense. 18 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,320 Of our lives. And our walk with you. 19 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,240 We ask for you to. Give us insight into them by the 20 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:07,600 power of your. Holy Spirit. 21 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,800 That we would understand and believe. 22 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:11,360 What you have for? Us. 23 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,880 And this we ask in Jesus name, Amen. 24 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,600 So the big picture of. First and Second Samuel 1 book 25 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,800 originally is the. Story of how God's people who 26 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,280 were scattered. And lost came together as one 27 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:30,920 nation, and united under one King, the great King David, and 28 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:34,280 through him. Paved the way for Jesus to. 29 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,920 Come the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we read these 30 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,960 stories in the fall to. Prepare for. 31 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:44,920 Advent and for Christmas to come and also to understand how when 32 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,640 we read the Psalms. Every week, every day. 33 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,400 What's? Going on in the Psalms as we try 34 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,920 to understand our lives, we want to do it in light of the. 35 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,240 Story that. Unites us all together, and 36 00:01:58,240 --> 00:01:59,720 that's the. Biblical story. 37 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:04,720 So this story. Began in the time of the. 38 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,760 Judges, which was a. 300 year. Period. 39 00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:10,800 That was it started off well, but it. 40 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,200 Got worse and worse and was. Very sad. 41 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,000 By the end, a period of moral. Chaos. 42 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,960 And weak. Leadership throughout Israel 43 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,240 after Joshua. And the Old Testament. 44 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:27,440 Book of Judges tells the story. Of how things went downhill over 45 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:29,320 300 years and towards the end of the. 46 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:31,960 Book of Judges, there's a. Refrain that repeats over and 47 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:37,080 over again, and it says there was no king in Israel and 48 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:38,960 everyone did what was. Right. 49 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:44,120 In their own eyes and as we pick up the story from last Sunday 50 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,400 here now in First Samuel chapter. 51 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:50,040 Two we. Find in today's lesson an 52 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:51,400 example. Of all. 53 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:56,280 That was wrong in Israel in those days, and of course it was 54 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,400 in a pastor's family. With the PKS, that was the. 55 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,400 Problem, Eli. Was both judge? 56 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,560 And priest in Israel in those days the. 57 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:09,520 Leader of both. Church and state. 58 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:14,480 But he was about 80 years old. He was morbidly. 59 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,600 Obese he was. Nearly completely blind. 60 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:24,400 And so he had handed things over to his adult sons, Hofni and 61 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,520 Phineas. They were probably in their 62 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,160 early. 50s. And they had assumed. 63 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,280 Eli's duties. In the temple or the Tabernacle 64 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,800 in Shiloh. But Hofni and Phineas were unfit 65 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,360 for ministry. Look at verse. 12 and Chapter 2. 66 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,960 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial. 67 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:43,840 That's what it says. Literally worthless. 68 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,840 Men. It's translated in the ESV. 69 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:48,880 They were worthless men. Why? 70 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,440 For they did not know. The Lord which? 71 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,640 Is not to say that they didn't know about the Lord. 72 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:56,320 Of. Course they did. 73 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:58,080 I mean they their. Job was to work. 74 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,320 In. The House of the Lord. 75 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:05,880 But they didn't know him, and since there was no king in 76 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:10,040 Israel, and since everyone did what was right in their own 77 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:14,240 eyes, there was nothing to stop them from becoming wolves in 78 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:18,040 sheep's clothing. At great cost to the people of 79 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:22,120 God, their. Faithlessness had consequences. 80 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,720 That were vertical. And then horizontal, first 81 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,000 vertically, they dishonored the Lord by stealing what belonged 82 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,800 to him. Their worship services like 83 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:32,880 ours. Centered around the. 84 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,800 Lord's Table. And when people would come to 85 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:41,760 worship there, they would come bringing grain, wine and a 86 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:45,200 sacrifice, an animal sacrifice. We do the same thing when we 87 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:46,560 come. Together except. 88 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,440 We don't need the animal. Sacrifice for Christ. 89 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,280 Our Passover lamb has been. Sacrificed for us. 90 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:56,800 Once for all, but we bring bread and wine in the same way, 91 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:01,120 continuing this tradition. And in those days, the animal 92 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,600 would be brought and would be slaughtered and cooked and. 93 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:06,800 Shared but the. Sons of Eli did three things we 94 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,840 learned from this passage. Three things. 95 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,480 That were. Wrong in the eyes of God. 96 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:13,920 First of all, they took. More than was their. 97 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,440 Fair share. They were stealing and 98 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,520 appropriating more to themselves. 99 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,200 Secondly, they. Took it raw. 100 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,600 Which means that they were taking it home and eating it 101 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,320 privately, having their own private feasts rather than. 102 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,480 Feasting with the Lord's people, which was their. 103 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:32,720 Job and thirdly and most. Egregiously, they took. 104 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,040 The fat portions. Which were always reserved for 105 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,160 the Lord. The fat portions would be burned 106 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,080 up and the smoke of the. Sacrifice was a. 107 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,760 Sign of the Lord's presence. The Lord's presence with them 108 00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:48,680 and so that's why verse 17 says that their sin. 109 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,520 Was very great. In the sight of the. 110 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:55,720 Lord so vertically. Speaking in terms of their 111 00:05:55,720 --> 00:06:00,560 relationship with God, Hofni and Phineas were robbing God, and 112 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:04,520 whenever people bend down away from the Lord, there are 113 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:06,680 horizontal consequences. That follow. 114 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:12,040 Look at verse 22 where we learn that Eli's sons were molesting 115 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:13,920 the deaconesses. Who were? 116 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:18,440 Serving in God. 'S house at Shiloh as priests 117 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,920 they their, their. Responsibility was to. 118 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:25,200 Protect the flock. But they did not know the Lord. 119 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,080 So they did. What was right in their own 120 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,640 eyes? Sexually abusing the women who 121 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:35,000 had devoted themselves in. Service to the Lord this was. 122 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:39,360 3000 years ago and truly there is nothing new under the sun. 123 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,040 How could all? This have happened. 124 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,920 How could these? Tabernacle leaders have 125 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:50,240 abandoned the faith and gone on. To abuse God's people so 126 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,520 egregiously as we. Read on. 127 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,360 In today's chapter, we learn. That it's Eli. 128 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,600 'S permissive parenting that is to blame. 129 00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:03,240 It's not to say that Hoffney and Phineas are also to blame. 130 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,560 They're responsible. Of course, but Eli set the. 131 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:12,640 Course for them by parenting in a way that would be frankly. 132 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,680 Very well received. In Washington elite circles. 133 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:21,360 Today, let's take a closer look. Beginning in verse 23, Eli 134 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:28,080 gently begins asking his sons in verse 23, Why do you do such 135 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:32,840 things now? One might expect a senior 136 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:34,240 leader. In his 80s. 137 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaking to his two lieutenants, to whom he's delegated all 138 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:44,440 responsibility, who are molesting the staff, one might 139 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,960 expect a senior leader to take a different tone. 140 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,400 But Eli takes a therapeutic approach. 141 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,120 He's using respectful communication. 142 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,520 He's asking general questions rather than issuing judgments. 143 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:01,080 He seeks more to understand than to be understood. 144 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:08,000 Look at the second-half of verse 20. 3 for I hear of your. 145 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,080 Evil dealings. From all. 146 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:15,760 These people now. Eli lived where he worked. 147 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:21,440 He spent night and day all his time at the Tabernacle. 148 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:27,320 How in the world had he neither witnessed nor known what his 149 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:32,320 sons were doing with one woman after another after another? 150 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,840 But instead of taking a confrontational posture, he 151 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:40,600 gently comes along his sons and he just alerts them to the. 152 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:44,640 Rumors. That have been spreading verse 153 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:49,120 24 no my sons, it is no. Good report that I hear the 154 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,280 people of the Lord. Spreading abroad now. 155 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,000 This is really a. Skill that Washington parents 156 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,320 need to. Take to heart. 157 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,920 Teaching kids to. Curate their public. 158 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:04,920 Image It was important for Eli with his sons as well. 159 00:09:05,680 --> 00:09:08,440 His primary concern, from what we can tell from this passage, 160 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,040 isn't his son's abusive misconduct. 161 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:13,480 But it's the. Reputational damage that it's 162 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,640 causing to him and to them. And so instead of taking 163 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:20,200 decisive disciplinary action against them, he warns them to 164 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,720 get out. Ahead of that bad press, shift 165 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,360 the focus. Change change the. 166 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:32,680 Twitter feeds for the. Temple People verse 25 he says, 167 00:09:32,680 --> 00:09:34,360 and this is his last. Word, he says. 168 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:40,920 If someone hypothetically sins against a man, God will mediate 169 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,240 for him. But if someone sins against. 170 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:47,200 The Lord who? Can intercede for him, Eli's 171 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:52,960 final word to his sons and instead of any. 172 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,040 Direct rebuke. He prioritizes. 173 00:09:56,040 --> 00:10:00,800 Connection over correction. He gives them this general rule 174 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:05,080 of thumb for sins against God and avoids any negative 175 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,120 criticism that might interfere. With their. 176 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,120 Long standing friendship. As Father. 177 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:15,160 And sons, there's a hugely important lesson here for 178 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,080 raising children, but. Before we go. 179 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:20,440 There, I just want to say to all of you don't currently have 180 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,920 children that you're raising. This lesson is for you too. 181 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:27,160 I can remember hearing a message on this very same. 182 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:30,000 Passage, probably. 15 years. Before I. 183 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,080 Became a dad and that message stuck with me. 184 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,200 Over the years. And has influenced not just how 185 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:40,200 I parent, but how I pastor and how I'm a brother and how I'm a 186 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,760 friend and how I'm a son in many other. 187 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:44,520 Ways it is. Formative. 188 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:46,520 What we're learning here is formative for. 189 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:48,800 All of our relationships, especially our. 190 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:53,920 Relationship with God. So the the. 191 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:58,040 Core of this message. Is this the? 192 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:04,400 Inversion of our affections is is at the center of this, and 193 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,400 that's what happens whenever we put created things. 194 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,120 Above the creator. When we. 195 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:13,160 Forsake the Lord. As as it says in the Book of 196 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:17,600 Revelation, when we. Forsake our first love. 197 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,840 As a parent, Eli failed to. Practice. 198 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,880 What we now call tough love. But really should just be 199 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:28,320 called. True love Today we're inundated 200 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:32,320 with slogans, aren't we, that redefine love in terms of 201 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,720 permissiveness rather than grace and truth. 202 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,280 Parenting with true love, on the other hand, involves both 203 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:45,760 boundaries and permission, both warning and wooing, both savory 204 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:47,480 and sweet. Or to put it. 205 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:50,240 Even more clearly, both the. Word of God. 206 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,680 And the love. Of God, for if you spare the 207 00:11:53,680 --> 00:12:00,600 word, you will spoil the child. One of the most exemplary 208 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,120 parents in the Bible. Is the apostle. 209 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:05,520 Paul And from what we can tell, he never had any biological 210 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,840 children, but he writes to Timothy, and we have his letters 211 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:10,800 to Timothy, and he writes to Timothy as his. 212 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:13,760 Beloved child. And he tells him the. 213 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:18,400 Word of God. He shapes him in the Word of God 214 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:23,800 along with pouring out grace. But but Paul loves Timothy 215 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:25,520 enough. To say. 216 00:12:25,680 --> 00:12:28,040 Something that we all should. Take the heart, Paul says. 217 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,000 All Scripture is God. Breathed. 218 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,760 And profitable for. Teaching reproof, correction, 219 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,680 and training and righteousness that God's people may be 220 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:40,880 complete. Equipped for every good work. 221 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:46,520 Good parenting begins with. God's Word. 222 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,160 If you spare the word, you will spoil the child. 223 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:56,160 Hoffney and Phineas, Eli's sons, were made in God's image, made 224 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,160 to love God first in their hearts. 225 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,400 But they didn't know the Lord, so they enthroned themselves 226 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:03,480 instead. They did. 227 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:06,960 What was right in their own eyes rather than obeying God's Word 228 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:08,560 and that? Led to catastrophic. 229 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:10,080 Damage. For the people. 230 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:15,480 Of God in those days, Hoffney and Phineas should have known 231 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:17,760 better. But their father. 232 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:20,880 Eli didn't model putting God. 1st. 233 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,640 Based on what we read in this chapter, it seems that Eli was 234 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:27,600 more concerned about the opinions of others than. 235 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:32,160 The Word of God so his. Sons learned from his example. 236 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,560 To love created. Things more than the. 237 00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:38,840 Creator Eli spared God's. Word. 238 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:41,400 And in so doing he spoiled his sons. 239 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,960 And then after Hofni and Phineas were consecrated as. 240 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,440 Priests, they put this. Catechism into practice, loving 241 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,160 themselves first over everything else at great. 242 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:55,280 Cost to the people of God. Now, what happened in Shiloh 243 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,840 long ago is an epidemic in the. West today. 244 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:01,760 Isn't it the permissive parenting of past generations 245 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:03,880 produced a people who don't know the Lord? 246 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:05,720 And who therefore choose to do what? 247 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:07,320 Is right in their own eyes and in. 248 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,320 So. Doing we exchanged true. 249 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:14,120 Love. True tough love. 250 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:20,240 For empathy without bounds, empathy run amok. 251 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,440 Empathy untethered. To God's Word. 252 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:29,240 And now, like the Tabernacle in Shiloh, churches in the West 253 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:31,680 have forsaken God. Who should? 254 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,440 Be every church's first love. In an age. 255 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:35,880 Of virtue. Signalling. 256 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,320 Churches. Boast of existing. 257 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,360 For the sake of others. And they? 258 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,440 Roll out these. Huge banners that read have you 259 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,360 seen this love your neighbor practice. 260 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:55,360 Here. It's winsome, it's trendy, it's 261 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,200 deceptive. Because this appears to be. 262 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:03,120 So loving, yet it's missing what is most important, what they. 263 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:08,600 Should say is love God first? Then love your neighbor. 264 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,280 Come and practice. Both here. 265 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:12,920 In the right. Order. 266 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,200 I don't expect that'll catch on anytime soon, though. 267 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,720 Someday Jesus will return in glory to judge the living and 268 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,920 the dead. And what will be his standard of 269 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:27,880 judgement? We usually say. 270 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:29,360 It at the beginning of every service. 271 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:30,960 We didn't say it today because of the. 272 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:34,360 Baptisms, but. It's what? 273 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,920 He answered the scribes when they asked him summarize the 274 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:40,960 Bible and he said. Love the Lord your God first 275 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:42,600 with all. Your heart, soul and mind. 276 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,720 That's the first and greatest commandment, and the second is 277 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:47,120 like it. You shall love your neighbor as 278 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:49,160 yourself. On these two commandments depend 279 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:51,600 all the law and the. Prophets, that's. 280 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:52,960 What we can expect? Will be the. 281 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:57,200 Standard of judgement when he returns. 282 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:01,040 Thought about creating a bumper sticker? 283 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,320 That says. Love God, then love your 284 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:04,680 neighbor. No exceptions. 285 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:06,760 I don't think I will get rich on that. 286 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:13,520 Though we seriously. Must take inventory. 287 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:17,040 Of our lives. According to this. 288 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,040 Vertical first. Then horizontal approach. 289 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,400 That is taught throughout God's Word. 290 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:29,120 For example. Ask yourself how your loves. 291 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:34,040 May have become disordered. I've been asking myself as I've 292 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,360 been preparing for this message. What's my first? 293 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:39,440 Thought when I wake up in the morning, is it the? 294 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:42,360 Lord or. Something having to do with my 295 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:45,680 neighbors? Do I come to church? 296 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:51,120 To worship God first or primarily for social reasons. 297 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:56,400 How much time do I spend with God, praising Him and studying 298 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:59,880 His Word? And what do I do when? 299 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:03,560 God's ways. Interfere with my desires and 300 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,160 when things don't go my way. How hard? 301 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,160 Is it for me to find hope in the Lord? 302 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:13,800 I've been asking these questions over the last several. 303 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,720 Days I've felt. Deeply convicted in one way and 304 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:19,839 another, and I've asked God's forgiveness. 305 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:22,560 I always want to. Love God first. 306 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,319 And then my neighbor as myself. And thanks be to God. 307 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:31,000 For the gift of life. Eternal life in Jesus for the 308 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:32,560 atoning death of. Jesus. 309 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,440 For my sins. And for yours, for the gift of 310 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,800 the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live faithfully. 311 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:42,400 According to his Word, we can do all things through Christ who 312 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:46,200 strengthens us, but we must turn to Him, and we must amend our 313 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:50,800 ways and make God. First, he deserves our first 314 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,000 love. There's so much more I would 315 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:54,200 like to. Say about this. 316 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:56,720 Time is short. I want to. 317 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:58,880 Draw your attention to the very end of this. 318 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:03,880 Passage because of. The way it ends, it doesn't end 319 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:05,960 with. Eli's passive. 320 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,400 Parenting. Rather, it ends with. 321 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,920 God's tough love. God's tough, true. 322 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:16,920 Love for Eli and his sons, serving as a counterexample and 323 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:18,240 a model. For us. 324 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,040 For you just can't have the horizontal. 325 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,240 Without the vertical, you have to have the vertical first, so. 326 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:29,200 An unnamed. Prophet starting verse. 27 came 327 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:34,160 to Eli with an Oracle from the Lord, and he starts off by 328 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:35,920 remembering God's. Grace to. 329 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:41,040 Eli and his family through the generations, recalling how Eli's 330 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:45,200 family was given this wonderful gift of becoming priests and 331 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,280 being able to serve in the Lord's house and to eat. 332 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:52,200 At the Lord's Table. But verse 29 God speaks the 333 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:56,200 truth and love to Eli, and he says, why then do you scorn my 334 00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:00,480 sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and 335 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:04,160 honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the. 336 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:06,640 Choices parts of. Every offering of my people, 337 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:10,800 Israel. Once again, the problem wasn't 338 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:14,640 that Eli loved his sons. The problem was that he loved 339 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:16,680 them more than he loved. The Lord. 340 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,640 They were responsible for their own sins, yes, but it was. 341 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:27,440 Nevertheless, Eli, the father, the leader, it was his 342 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,000 disordered affections. That had gotten them off track 343 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:33,240 and it eventually. Led to that. 344 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,840 Hideous train wreck at the Tabernacle in Shiloh. 345 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:43,040 So God alerts Eli. To the punishment that awaits 346 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,760 him if he doesn't repent, starting in verse. 30, he says. 347 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:50,240 Even though I granted your family eternal. 348 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:53,520 Eternal. Privileges. 349 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,680 In the Tabernacle. Forever through all. 350 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:58,720 Generations. That was of. 351 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,200 Course contingent upon you loving me. 352 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:07,240 First once saved, always saved. But you must put God. 1st. 353 00:20:09,360 --> 00:20:10,920 And then God brings the hammer down. 354 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:12,600 You have forsaken your first love. 355 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:14,400 So verse 31. Behold. 356 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:16,400 The days are. Coming when I will. 357 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:18,400 Cut off your. Strength and the strength of 358 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:20,120 your. Father's house, so that there 359 00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:22,240 will be. There will not be an old man in 360 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,000 your. House, verse 30. 361 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:25,760 Three, all the descendants of your house shall. 362 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:30,160 Die by the sword 34 both. Hoffney and Phineas shall die on 363 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,400 the same day. Verse 35 I will replace you with 364 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:37,360 a faithful priest. And last, everyone left in your 365 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:42,040 house will beg him for bread. As shocking as this. 366 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,600 Will sound to today's therapeutic generation this is 367 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,920 the most loving thing. That God could say he is. 368 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaking the truth in love it had been. 369 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:59,520 Eli's job for decade after decade after decade to read the 370 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:03,000 scriptures to. God's people in the Tabernacle. 371 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:05,760 He had done it literally. All of his life. 372 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,160 He knew. All of this cold. 373 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,800 But he didn't. Live it, Eli. 374 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:17,960 Was more concerned about other things so God sent an unnamed 375 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:22,040 prophet to make it crystal clear saying repent you and your sons 376 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:23,960 or. Disaster will fall. 377 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:25,560 Upon your house I will. Replace. 378 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:30,600 It with another and what you need to hear from this is for as 379 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:33,320 long. As we live God's door. 380 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:36,280 Remains open for your repentance. 381 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:40,520 But you must repent. You must return to Him. 382 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,840 As your first love. Eli and his sons could have done 383 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:46,040 this. They could have taken God's. 384 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:47,000 Word. Seriously. 385 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:50,000 And repented of their sins. And in so doing, they would have 386 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,120 enjoyed God's forgiveness and anticipation of Christ. 387 00:21:53,120 --> 00:21:55,480 Our true Passover. Lamb, they could have turned 388 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,360 from sin, loved God first, and this whole story might have 389 00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:02,120 turned out very differently, but they didn't and so the whole 390 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:04,480 story is going to get darker and. 391 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:06,760 Darker before the. Light shines. 392 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,760 If there were time, there's so much more that could. 393 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,600 Be said about it, but for today. What I hope you'll remember. 394 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:17,160 Is that God loved Eli? And his wicked sons enough to 395 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,480 warn them. For God had. 396 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:23,320 This against them that they had forsaken their first. 397 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:26,800 Love they had. Forsaken their first love, their 398 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,000 lamp was going out, and God's. People were. 399 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,480 Suffering like sheep. Without a shepherd. 400 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:35,240 But God loved them too much. To allow the darkness to 401 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:36,680 overtake. Them completely. 402 00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:40,320 So there's another lamp that begins to burn through this. 403 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:42,560 Story I. Wish there was more time to draw 404 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:44,240 your attention to this. His name is Samuel. 405 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:46,400 He's been mentioned throughout here and there. 406 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,600 Throughout today's chapter. Even though Samuel. 407 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,720 Is 35 to 40 years. Younger than Hoffney and Phineas 408 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,000 in the. Hebrew of this chapter. 409 00:22:57,680 --> 00:22:59,440 The same word. Is used for. 410 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:03,120 Hoffney, Phineas and Samuel, a word that's translated lad. 411 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,920 Or boy. Or young man, I don't know if 412 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:07,880 you. Caught this but. 413 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:12,120 These grown men, 50 something year old men Hoffman and Phineas 414 00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:14,760 are being. Called boys throughout the 415 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,080 chapter. Why? 416 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:17,960 Because. Even though they're grown men 417 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:20,480 and they should be caring for the flock, they're behaving like 418 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:24,280 juvenile delinquents. And the contrast could not be 419 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,480 any more stark. Looking at Samuel. 420 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:33,200 Because Samuel, he continues to. Grow in stature. 421 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,240 And in. Favor with the. 422 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:42,000 Lord and his people through him, by him putting God. 1st. 423 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:44,800 God will make. Way for Jesus. 424 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,800 The king of kings who comes to make all things new. 425 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:52,400 By His grace we are saved, and by His word we are led. 426 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:54,160 And fed. Let's pray. 427 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:57,200 Together we praise. And thank you, Lord, that you. 428 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:59,680 Do feed us. Through your word and we cry out 429 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:03,520 to you for an outpouring of your. 430 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:07,120 Spirit so that our. Affections would be. 431 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:09,200 Focused. Upon you. 432 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,000 That our love. Would renew. 433 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:14,840 Our heart would. Turn to you. 434 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,360 We ask you to do this for your glory. 435 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:21,280 And for the sake of your. People. 436 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,160 We pray this in Jesus name, Amen.