CMS Session Three, An Effective Servant Knows God

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Session 3: The Profile of an Effective Servant

In the previous session we observed that an effective servant believes God.

Today we will look at how: an Effective Servant Knows God

1 Samuel 2:12-18 (ESV)

Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD. The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, "Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw." And if the man said to him, "Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish," he would say, "No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force." Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt. Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy clothed with a linen ephod.

What we are seeing here is a practice that the author is describing as common to the day. The priest put a fork into the pot where the sacrificed mean was cooking. This was not his portion. The Lord had been very specific in telling the priests that they were to have only certain parts of the meat.

In contrast to the sons of Eli, Samuel is shown. What could Samuel do being so young? Not much, but he could serve and be of help.

1 Samuel 3:1-20 (ESV)

Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 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. Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, "Here I am!" 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. 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." Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 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 young man. 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. And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears." 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. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 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. 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." 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. But Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." And he said, "Here I am." 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." 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." And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

Here is a child laying in the dark, and accustomed to serving. When he hears the voice of the Lord he mistakes it for that of the priest, and runs quickly to serve. The problem is very clearly stated in verse 7. “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.”

What the Lord had to say was a hard thing for such a young boy to hear. The Lord was bringing judgment on this wicked family. Samuel was afraid for a very good reason when Eli came to him in the morning. He was supposed to tell the high priest that Lord was going to destroy Eli and his house.

No matter what kind of background you come from, we all have to come to a point in our life where we have to take God's hand for ourselves. We have to let go of our parents hand and search out God for ourselves. This is what I see happening on that day with Samuel. Have you let go of your parents hand? Have you grasped God for yourself?

Knowing God is not the result of learning about him in Sunday school, Awana, or at Bible College.

Knowing God is not about “knowing about God”

Knowing God is not about academic knowledge.

Knowing him is about leaning about his true character and living in that light.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV)

Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

There is only one thing you should brag about, and that is that you know him and understand him; and once you are at that point, you will realize that there isn't even any room for that.

1 Samuel 3:1-20 tells us that knowing God is about learning to hear his voice and following it and growing because of it. Godliness is the outflow of knowing God. It will make your Christian walk dynamic, refreshing, and wonderful.

Its not too early to start. Samuel was very young when he came to know God.

You do not need a perfect environment to know God. Samuel had a self indulgent man for a mentor. The world around him was in decay. There was blatant disobedience and disregard for God and his will. Samuel did not grow up in a nurturing environment

Do not mistake service of God for know God. Samuel was serving God faithfully day in and day out; but Samuel still did not know God or his word. At the risk of sounding blasphemous, you cannot really serve him unless you know him. Do not get so busy serving him that you neglect getting to know him.

Do not mistake collaboration with God's servants for knowing him. You might be working with some very spiritual men and women, some people very close to God, but they aren't him! Samuel was serving with the priest, yet he still did not know God.

Do not mistake your parents' godliness for knowing God. It would be a mistake for you to believe that just because your parents are believers that you are also. Samuel had a Godly mother, and yet he still did not know God.

Do not mistake knowing God's attributes for knowing him. You might have learned wonderful new things about God. You might be filled with all sorts of facts and key passages; but this is in no way a substitute for actually knowing him!

Ephesians 1:15-23

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Yes the apostle was concerned about them for many different reasons, but over all other things, he desired that they Know God.

Colossians 1:9-12

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

As you come to believe in God and as you come to know God, you will become a more effective servant for God. That is how the prophets of the Old Testament were. The content of their messages was not what they decided would be good, but it was this: “thus sayeth the Lord.”