Talking With God

Conversations / 1 Samuel 3

Why Conversations?

Proverbs 18:21 ESV

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruits.

So we want to view Conversation as a way for formation. Formation of self to Christ and formation of better community. Conversations are the tool through which we will use to lean into formation in Christ in formation with each other and community. It’s also how we can tell how we’re doing.

Conversations are the single unit of relationship. You have conversations with people you barely know, you have conversations with people that you’ve known on all your life. So what I wanna talk about over the next few weeks is not just how to have better relationship, relationships, but to drill down into something much more daily. The conversation.

Overaccepting

Our conversations happen within a larger story. Even things like the greeting are not just saying hi to one another, it is about “passing the peace.” Meaning the peace that we receive from Christ is the peace that we offer to others. Peace as a reality then is the larger story in this small act during our service.

Improv

God Gets Samuel’s attention: Scripture

1 Samuel 3:1–2 ESV

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of 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.

1 Samuel 3:4–10 ESV

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 boy. 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.”

Genesis 1:1–3 ESV

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Our Lives are in Constant Reply to God

God always starts the conversation, we always enter in. When we speak with God, we are entering in halfway.

God’s word is deserving of us being laid flat, of us saying nothing less than a resounding yes. It’s actually absurd to say no to the goodness of God’s voice.

John 1:1–2 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

We recognize God’s voice

We have a posture of openness

Speak like He speaks

When our conversations are with God primarily we begin to respond to the how He speaks and what He speaks like. We hear Him and turn to Him. And in doing so we begin to sound like Him.

Questions

Understanding Overacceptance

1. How does the concept of overaccepting challenge the way we typically approach conversations or gifts we find difficult to accept?

The Role of Conversations in Faith

2. In what ways can viewing every conversation as part of a larger Gospel story change the way we interact with others, especially during challenging moments?

God as the Initiator

3. What does Samuel’s experience teach us about recognizing and responding to God’s voice in our lives today?

Application in Daily Life

4. How can the practice of openness—echoed in Samuel’s response, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears”—be incorporated into our daily interactions with God and others?

Reflection and Growth

5. How do your current conversations—both with God and with others—reflect your understanding of discipleship and your relationship with Christ?