Sunday Sermon - So good I had to listen to it twice - well done Tim - excellent setting of the context of Samuel and David (1 Sam 16: 1-12). Having read this myself I did notice a possible nother school of thought regarding Jesus. I compared Samuel's mum Hannah with Mary, and Samuel as a theophany for Jesus. Mary and Joseph may well have been chosen because of their desire to spend quality time in the Temple as Hannah. Hannah prayed in such a way that she appeared drunk. So I put it to you that if God had met with Mary and Joseph in such a way, and they truly believed their Son was God in the flesh, the promised Messiah, then I believe, like Hannah and Samuel, Mary and Joseph would have brought Jesus up in the Temple. We get a brief mention of this when Jesus decided to stay in the Temple whilst His family left Him unaware that He wasn't with them (thank God there was no social services in those days!!).
Samuel was no wimp! Digging deeper we see that he was in submission to Saul and was probably scared of him. But when Samuel turns up in Bethlehem "the town elders turn up trembling" - possibly a bit like Gadaffi turning up in another country (Apparently he was involved in 17 coup d'etats). So the elders had good reason to tremble - will we live to see another day!! And Samuel has come to meet a top guissa in Bethlehem - Jesse of Bethlehem, a bit like Tim of Sidcup or Mervyn of Plumstead or Dave of Mottingham - all with fame!!!!!!!! Jesse of Bethlehem was known - his business, his protection etc Fame.
Samuel was looking for Gods man. Samuel had a hotline to heaven - he could ask God a question and get a real answer there and then. Samuel was a holy man that spent quality time in the Temple and in the presents of God - talking to Him and listening to Him. And this is not limited to the Old Testament characters or the New Testament characters, but is also available today - to all - without prejudice. You spend quality time with God and He will talk to you. I dare you to try!!
Samuel had each of Jesse's sons walk in front of him and each time Samuel asks God "is this the one?", and instantly God answers "No". Amazing - really this is amazing! The power that Samuel could tap into simply by having a hot line to heaven. And Samuel humbly said "we will not sit down til he arrives" and made all the people remain standing til David the Shepherd arrived. That could have been 10 minutes or it could have been 6 hours. They stood in anticipation that they where about to be in the presents of someone very important. Standing and waiting is important here - just try and picture in your mind that situation. They stood and waited - and waited - and waited. Maybe in silence and continuing in quiet conversation - probably not feasting. "We will stand and wait" - the authority of Samuel to make men remain standing! Hopefully no one had a weak bladder or they may have had their head chopped off!
In walks David. What do they see? Another theophany. David probably spent quality time with God whilst he spent time with his sheep. David was someone that worked with his hands and lived outside under the stars. David was no lightweight. David was Brad Pitt!! He wasn't Derek Trotter!! He was Robert De Niro not Ian Beale!! He wasn't a wimp - he was well 'ard! But not just "handsome" but in touch with God - not so clean on the outside, but clean on the inside. But chosen because God answered Samuels question "is this the one?" by saying "yes". Nothing to do with Davids handsomeness - simply hearing "yes" got David chosen.
So the challenge of the day to todays Christians is to clean your ears! Spend quality time "in the temple" and quality time listening for the answers. Has God changed? Does He talk to us today in the same way? is this hot line to heaven been disconnected or on answer phone?! Talk to Him and you will hear Him. Quality time, quality time and more quality time in the temple.
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