"Forsaking our First Love," 1 Samuel 2:12-36, Dan Claire

Please be seated. It's wonderful to see you all

this morning. We are going to be continuing in

a. Series we started.

Last Sunday on First Samuel and you can find the passage for

today's message for on page 212 in the.

Black Church Bible page 212 or please.

Open it up in your own Bible. If you brought one, you'll want

to follow along. Today's message is.

A very sober. Message from a very.

Sober passage. It's a sober warning against

forsaking the Lord, who must always remain our first.

Love. So as we come to this, let's.

Pray together. Almighty God, we praise and

thank you. That you do speak to us.

And your word is a sign of your. Love for us.

We praise you for this good gift.

We praise you for these stories. That help us make sense.

Of our lives. And our walk with you.

We ask for you to. Give us insight into them by the

power of your. Holy Spirit.

That we would understand and believe.

What you have for? Us.

And this we ask in Jesus name, Amen.

So the big picture of. First and Second Samuel 1 book

originally is the. Story of how God's people who

were scattered. And lost came together as one

nation, and united under one King, the great King David, and

through him. Paved the way for Jesus to.

Come the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we read these

stories in the fall to. Prepare for.

Advent and for Christmas to come and also to understand how when

we read the Psalms. Every week, every day.

What's? Going on in the Psalms as we try

to understand our lives, we want to do it in light of the.

Story that. Unites us all together, and

that's the. Biblical story.

So this story. Began in the time of the.

Judges, which was a. 300 year. Period.

That was it started off well, but it.

Got worse and worse and was. Very sad.

By the end, a period of moral. Chaos.

And weak. Leadership throughout Israel

after Joshua. And the Old Testament.

Book of Judges tells the story. Of how things went downhill over

300 years and towards the end of the.

Book of Judges, there's a. Refrain that repeats over and

over again, and it says there was no king in Israel and

everyone did what was. Right.

In their own eyes and as we pick up the story from last Sunday

here now in First Samuel chapter.

Two we. Find in today's lesson an

example. Of all.

That was wrong in Israel in those days, and of course it was

in a pastor's family. With the PKS, that was the.

Problem, Eli. Was both judge?

And priest in Israel in those days the.

Leader of both. Church and state.

But he was about 80 years old. He was morbidly.

Obese he was. Nearly completely blind.

And so he had handed things over to his adult sons, Hofni and

Phineas. They were probably in their

early. 50s. And they had assumed.

Eli's duties. In the temple or the Tabernacle

in Shiloh. But Hofni and Phineas were unfit

for ministry. Look at verse. 12 and Chapter 2.

Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial.

That's what it says. Literally worthless.

Men. It's translated in the ESV.

They were worthless men. Why?

For they did not know. The Lord which?

Is not to say that they didn't know about the Lord.

Of. Course they did.

I mean they their. Job was to work.

In. The House of the Lord.

But they didn't know him, and since there was no king in

Israel, and since everyone did what was right in their own

eyes, there was nothing to stop them from becoming wolves in

sheep's clothing. At great cost to the people of

God, their. Faithlessness had consequences.

That were vertical. And then horizontal, first

vertically, they dishonored the Lord by stealing what belonged

to him. Their worship services like

ours. Centered around the.

Lord's Table. And when people would come to

worship there, they would come bringing grain, wine and a

sacrifice, an animal sacrifice. We do the same thing when we

come. Together except.

We don't need the animal. Sacrifice for Christ.

Our Passover lamb has been. Sacrificed for us.

Once for all, but we bring bread and wine in the same way,

continuing this tradition. And in those days, the animal

would be brought and would be slaughtered and cooked and.

Shared but the. Sons of Eli did three things we

learned from this passage. Three things.

That were. Wrong in the eyes of God.

First of all, they took. More than was their.

Fair share. They were stealing and

appropriating more to themselves.

Secondly, they. Took it raw.

Which means that they were taking it home and eating it

privately, having their own private feasts rather than.

Feasting with the Lord's people, which was their.

Job and thirdly and most. Egregiously, they took.

The fat portions. Which were always reserved for

the Lord. The fat portions would be burned

up and the smoke of the. Sacrifice was a.

Sign of the Lord's presence. The Lord's presence with them

and so that's why verse 17 says that their sin.

Was very great. In the sight of the.

Lord so vertically. Speaking in terms of their

relationship with God, Hofni and Phineas were robbing God, and

whenever people bend down away from the Lord, there are

horizontal consequences. That follow.

Look at verse 22 where we learn that Eli's sons were molesting

the deaconesses. Who were?

Serving in God. 'S house at Shiloh as priests

they their, their. Responsibility was to.

Protect the flock. But they did not know the Lord.

So they did. What was right in their own

eyes? Sexually abusing the women who

had devoted themselves in. Service to the Lord this was.

3000 years ago and truly there is nothing new under the sun.

How could all? This have happened.

How could these? Tabernacle leaders have

abandoned the faith and gone on. To abuse God's people so

egregiously as we. Read on.

In today's chapter, we learn. That it's Eli.

'S permissive parenting that is to blame.

It's not to say that Hoffney and Phineas are also to blame.

They're responsible. Of course, but Eli set the.

Course for them by parenting in a way that would be frankly.

Very well received. In Washington elite circles.

Today, let's take a closer look. Beginning in verse 23, Eli

gently begins asking his sons in verse 23, Why do you do such

things now? One might expect a senior

leader. In his 80s.

Speaking to his two lieutenants, to whom he's delegated all

responsibility, who are molesting the staff, one might

expect a senior leader to take a different tone.

But Eli takes a therapeutic approach.

He's using respectful communication.

He's asking general questions rather than issuing judgments.

He seeks more to understand than to be understood.

Look at the second-half of verse 20. 3 for I hear of your.

Evil dealings. From all.

These people now. Eli lived where he worked.

He spent night and day all his time at the Tabernacle.

How in the world had he neither witnessed nor known what his

sons were doing with one woman after another after another?

But instead of taking a confrontational posture, he

gently comes along his sons and he just alerts them to the.

Rumors. That have been spreading verse

24 no my sons, it is no. Good report that I hear the

people of the Lord. Spreading abroad now.

This is really a. Skill that Washington parents

need to. Take to heart.

Teaching kids to. Curate their public.

Image It was important for Eli with his sons as well.

His primary concern, from what we can tell from this passage,

isn't his son's abusive misconduct.

But it's the. Reputational damage that it's

causing to him and to them. And so instead of taking

decisive disciplinary action against them, he warns them to

get out. Ahead of that bad press, shift

the focus. Change change the.

Twitter feeds for the. Temple People verse 25 he says,

and this is his last. Word, he says.

If someone hypothetically sins against a man, God will mediate

for him. But if someone sins against.

The Lord who? Can intercede for him, Eli's

final word to his sons and instead of any.

Direct rebuke. He prioritizes.

Connection over correction. He gives them this general rule

of thumb for sins against God and avoids any negative

criticism that might interfere. With their.

Long standing friendship. As Father.

And sons, there's a hugely important lesson here for

raising children, but. Before we go.

There, I just want to say to all of you don't currently have

children that you're raising. This lesson is for you too.

I can remember hearing a message on this very same.

Passage, probably. 15 years. Before I.

Became a dad and that message stuck with me.

Over the years. And has influenced not just how

I parent, but how I pastor and how I'm a brother and how I'm a

friend and how I'm a son in many other.

Ways it is. Formative.

What we're learning here is formative for.

All of our relationships, especially our.

Relationship with God. So the the.

Core of this message. Is this the?

Inversion of our affections is is at the center of this, and

that's what happens whenever we put created things.

Above the creator. When we.

Forsake the Lord. As as it says in the Book of

Revelation, when we. Forsake our first love.

As a parent, Eli failed to. Practice.

What we now call tough love. But really should just be

called. True love Today we're inundated

with slogans, aren't we, that redefine love in terms of

permissiveness rather than grace and truth.

Parenting with true love, on the other hand, involves both

boundaries and permission, both warning and wooing, both savory

and sweet. Or to put it.

Even more clearly, both the. Word of God.

And the love. Of God, for if you spare the

word, you will spoil the child. One of the most exemplary

parents in the Bible. Is the apostle.

Paul And from what we can tell, he never had any biological

children, but he writes to Timothy, and we have his letters

to Timothy, and he writes to Timothy as his.

Beloved child. And he tells him the.

Word of God. He shapes him in the Word of God

along with pouring out grace. But but Paul loves Timothy

enough. To say.

Something that we all should. Take the heart, Paul says.

All Scripture is God. Breathed.

And profitable for. Teaching reproof, correction,

and training and righteousness that God's people may be

complete. Equipped for every good work.

Good parenting begins with. God's Word.

If you spare the word, you will spoil the child.

Hoffney and Phineas, Eli's sons, were made in God's image, made

to love God first in their hearts.

But they didn't know the Lord, so they enthroned themselves

instead. They did.

What was right in their own eyes rather than obeying God's Word

and that? Led to catastrophic.

Damage. For the people.

Of God in those days, Hoffney and Phineas should have known

better. But their father.

Eli didn't model putting God. 1st.

Based on what we read in this chapter, it seems that Eli was

more concerned about the opinions of others than.

The Word of God so his. Sons learned from his example.

To love created. Things more than the.

Creator Eli spared God's. Word.

And in so doing he spoiled his sons.

And then after Hofni and Phineas were consecrated as.

Priests, they put this. Catechism into practice, loving

themselves first over everything else at great.

Cost to the people of God. Now, what happened in Shiloh

long ago is an epidemic in the. West today.

Isn't it the permissive parenting of past generations

produced a people who don't know the Lord?

And who therefore choose to do what?

Is right in their own eyes and in.

So. Doing we exchanged true.

Love. True tough love.

For empathy without bounds, empathy run amok.

Empathy untethered. To God's Word.

And now, like the Tabernacle in Shiloh, churches in the West

have forsaken God. Who should?

Be every church's first love. In an age.

Of virtue. Signalling.

Churches. Boast of existing.

For the sake of others. And they?

Roll out these. Huge banners that read have you

seen this love your neighbor practice.

Here. It's winsome, it's trendy, it's

deceptive. Because this appears to be.

So loving, yet it's missing what is most important, what they.

Should say is love God first? Then love your neighbor.

Come and practice. Both here.

In the right. Order.

I don't expect that'll catch on anytime soon, though.

Someday Jesus will return in glory to judge the living and

the dead. And what will be his standard of

judgement? We usually say.

It at the beginning of every service.

We didn't say it today because of the.

Baptisms, but. It's what?

He answered the scribes when they asked him summarize the

Bible and he said. Love the Lord your God first

with all. Your heart, soul and mind.

That's the first and greatest commandment, and the second is

like it. You shall love your neighbor as

yourself. On these two commandments depend

all the law and the. Prophets, that's.

What we can expect? Will be the.

Standard of judgement when he returns.

Thought about creating a bumper sticker?

That says. Love God, then love your

neighbor. No exceptions.

I don't think I will get rich on that.

Though we seriously. Must take inventory.

Of our lives. According to this.

Vertical first. Then horizontal approach.

That is taught throughout God's Word.

For example. Ask yourself how your loves.

May have become disordered. I've been asking myself as I've

been preparing for this message. What's my first?

Thought when I wake up in the morning, is it the?

Lord or. Something having to do with my

neighbors? Do I come to church?

To worship God first or primarily for social reasons.

How much time do I spend with God, praising Him and studying

His Word? And what do I do when?

God's ways. Interfere with my desires and

when things don't go my way. How hard?

Is it for me to find hope in the Lord?

I've been asking these questions over the last several.

Days I've felt. Deeply convicted in one way and

another, and I've asked God's forgiveness.

I always want to. Love God first.

And then my neighbor as myself. And thanks be to God.

For the gift of life. Eternal life in Jesus for the

atoning death of. Jesus.

For my sins. And for yours, for the gift of

the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live faithfully.

According to his Word, we can do all things through Christ who

strengthens us, but we must turn to Him, and we must amend our

ways and make God. First, he deserves our first

love. There's so much more I would

like to. Say about this.

Time is short. I want to.

Draw your attention to the very end of this.

Passage because of. The way it ends, it doesn't end

with. Eli's passive.

Parenting. Rather, it ends with.

God's tough love. God's tough, true.

Love for Eli and his sons, serving as a counterexample and

a model. For us.

For you just can't have the horizontal.

Without the vertical, you have to have the vertical first, so.

An unnamed. Prophet starting verse. 27 came

to Eli with an Oracle from the Lord, and he starts off by

remembering God's. Grace to.

Eli and his family through the generations, recalling how Eli's

family was given this wonderful gift of becoming priests and

being able to serve in the Lord's house and to eat.

At the Lord's Table. But verse 29 God speaks the

truth and love to Eli, and he says, why then do you scorn my

sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and

honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the.

Choices parts of. Every offering of my people,

Israel. Once again, the problem wasn't

that Eli loved his sons. The problem was that he loved

them more than he loved. The Lord.

They were responsible for their own sins, yes, but it was.

Nevertheless, Eli, the father, the leader, it was his

disordered affections. That had gotten them off track

and it eventually. Led to that.

Hideous train wreck at the Tabernacle in Shiloh.

So God alerts Eli. To the punishment that awaits

him if he doesn't repent, starting in verse. 30, he says.

Even though I granted your family eternal.

Eternal. Privileges.

In the Tabernacle. Forever through all.

Generations. That was of.

Course contingent upon you loving me.

First once saved, always saved. But you must put God. 1st.

And then God brings the hammer down.

You have forsaken your first love.

So verse 31. Behold.

The days are. Coming when I will.

Cut off your. Strength and the strength of

your. Father's house, so that there

will be. There will not be an old man in

your. House, verse 30.

Three, all the descendants of your house shall.

Die by the sword 34 both. Hoffney and Phineas shall die on

the same day. Verse 35 I will replace you with

a faithful priest. And last, everyone left in your

house will beg him for bread. As shocking as this.

Will sound to today's therapeutic generation this is

the most loving thing. That God could say he is.

Speaking the truth in love it had been.

Eli's job for decade after decade after decade to read the

scriptures to. God's people in the Tabernacle.

He had done it literally. All of his life.

He knew. All of this cold.

But he didn't. Live it, Eli.

Was more concerned about other things so God sent an unnamed

prophet to make it crystal clear saying repent you and your sons

or. Disaster will fall.

Upon your house I will. Replace.

It with another and what you need to hear from this is for as

long. As we live God's door.

Remains open for your repentance.

But you must repent. You must return to Him.

As your first love. Eli and his sons could have done

this. They could have taken God's.

Word. Seriously.

And repented of their sins. And in so doing, they would have

enjoyed God's forgiveness and anticipation of Christ.

Our true Passover. Lamb, they could have turned

from sin, loved God first, and this whole story might have

turned out very differently, but they didn't and so the whole

story is going to get darker and.

Darker before the. Light shines.

If there were time, there's so much more that could.

Be said about it, but for today. What I hope you'll remember.

Is that God loved Eli? And his wicked sons enough to

warn them. For God had.

This against them that they had forsaken their first.

Love they had. Forsaken their first love, their

lamp was going out, and God's. People were.

Suffering like sheep. Without a shepherd.

But God loved them too much. To allow the darkness to

overtake. Them completely.

So there's another lamp that begins to burn through this.

Story I. Wish there was more time to draw

your attention to this. His name is Samuel.

He's been mentioned throughout here and there.

Throughout today's chapter. Even though Samuel.

Is 35 to 40 years. Younger than Hoffney and Phineas

in the. Hebrew of this chapter.

The same word. Is used for.

Hoffney, Phineas and Samuel, a word that's translated lad.

Or boy. Or young man, I don't know if

you. Caught this but.

These grown men, 50 something year old men Hoffman and Phineas

are being. Called boys throughout the

chapter. Why?

Because. Even though they're grown men

and they should be caring for the flock, they're behaving like

juvenile delinquents. And the contrast could not be

any more stark. Looking at Samuel.

Because Samuel, he continues to. Grow in stature.

And in. Favor with the.

Lord and his people through him, by him putting God. 1st.

God will make. Way for Jesus.

The king of kings who comes to make all things new.

By His grace we are saved, and by His word we are led.

And fed. Let's pray.

Together we praise. And thank you, Lord, that you.

Do feed us. Through your word and we cry out

to you for an outpouring of your.

Spirit so that our. Affections would be.

Focused. Upon you.

That our love. Would renew.

Our heart would. Turn to you.

We ask you to do this for your glory.

And for the sake of your. People.

We pray this in Jesus name, Amen.