This morning, we're

continuing our new message series entitled, "Family of

Prophets."  We're rediscovering our

identity as a church family this year and this group of individuals are an

awesome example to learn from.  

Family is a group of

people who genuinely love, trust, care for, and look out for each other.

The past few weeks,

we have been learning from Samuel's life about hearing God's voice.  His willingness to hear God's voice and to

eagerly follow His lead is essentially where this famed family of prophets had

its start.

This morning, we are

going to fast-forward through Samuel's life. 

Now that we know how to perceive and discern God's voice, the next step

is deciding whether to go our own way or God's in life.  Samuel continued to grow up in the Presence

of God serving Him. 

1 Samuel 3:19-20

19 The Lord was with

Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20

And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a

prophet of the Lord.

The ark of God where

the Presence of God rested, the ark where Samuel first heard God's voice, was

stolen by the Philistines.  Wherever it

was taken, a curse fell on the people who stole it.  When placed in the temples of idols, even the

idol would fall face down before the Presence of God!  After only seven months, the Philistines

decided to return the ark to Israel.

During this time,

Eli and his sons passed away.  Samuel

took over leadership of the nation of Israel, God's people, and he lead them

all the days of his life.  However, his

life was also nearing its end.

1 Samuel 8:1-9;18-22 (NLT)

1 As Samuel grew

old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2 Joel and Abijah, his

oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. 3 But they were not like their father,

for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.

4 Finally, all the

elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. 5 “Look,” they

told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to

judge us like all the other nations have.”

6 Samuel was

displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. 7 “Do

everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not

you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought

them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And

now they are giving you the same treatment. 9 Do as they ask, but solemnly warn

them about the way a king will reign over them.”

Essentially, the

king would take advantage of them charging taxes and forcing them into labor

for his benefit…

18 When that day

comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the

Lord will not help you.”

19 But the people

refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they

said. 20 “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and

lead us into battle.”

21 So Samuel

repeated to the Lord what the people had said, 22 and the Lord replied, “Do as

they say, and give them a king.” Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home.

Which would be

better as king of a nation?  God who

freely gives all or man who greedily takes all?

Which would be