First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Devotional: 1 Samuel 3:1-21

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 3:1-21

Helpful thoughts:

  • This chapter details the transition of Samuel the boy to Samuel the prophet (The first prophet on a national scale since Moses).
  • God speaking to people in those times (Prior to the ministry of Samuel) was rare.  It was more common during the days of Moses, in contrast.
    • This passage should not serve as a proof text for us to expect to hear things from God.  It should reaffirm that hearing from God is not something we should expect and not something that should be sought out, especially because we now have the finished written Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
  • God must have used Eli’s instruction and response to encourage Samuel’s ministry.
    • Samuel was to accurately and exhaustively communicate the Word of the Lord, even if he thought the listener might not like what he/she hears.
    • The Lord is holy and righteous.  What He declares He will do must be understood as right and just.
      • Strength in the message communicated does not come from the response of the hearers but in the holiness of it’s origin, God.

Questions to consider:

  1. God’s act of speaking to people through Samuel made him a prophet.  If a person today claims that God is speaking to them and sharing with others through books, TV shows, etc. they are claiming to be prophets (Whether they admit it or not).  What instruction does Deuteronomy 18:20-22 give concerning people who believe God is speaking to them and through them?  Since we are in the New Covenant (Christ has fulfilled the Law), how should believers today (The Church) respond to these false prophets?
  2. How does knowing who God is help us to receive what He has said to us in His Word?  How do the attributes of God give us great reason to trust Him?
  3. Why might it have been tempting for Israel to idolize Samuel as he grew in “publicity’?  Who was Israel to turn to as a result of Samuel’s ministry?

Devotional: 1 Samuel 2:12-36

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 2:12-36

Helpful thoughts:

  • Right after Hannah’s prayer exulting in the Lord (See verse 9), we learn that Eli’s sons were “worthless men” who “did not know the Lord.”
  • That Eli’s descendants would cease to serve in the priesthood because of their disobedience was not unprecedented.  See Leviticus 10:1-11.
  • “It was the will of the Lord to put them to death” could be taken as God’s sovereign plan, or as God’s desire for justice due to the nature of the sin of Hophni and Phinehas.  Either interpretation could be justified.

Questions to consider:

  1. Compare and contrast the description of Hophni and Phineas with Samuel.  Who was Samuel being trained under?  What influences surrounded him?  Why did Hophni and Phineas go the direction they did and Samuel the way he did?
  2. What was Eli specifically rebuked for doing (Verse 29)?  How might his sons have heard Eli’s rebuke of them in verses 22-25 if he had “fattened” himself through their sinful actions and honored them over the Lord for all those years?
  3. How important is it for parents to back up their teaching of the Gospel to their children with Gospel-centered living?  Why is “perfect” parenting (Which none of us can do) still not enough to guarantee a certain outcome?  What has to happen in the heart of the children?

Devotional: 1 Samuel 2:1-11

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 2:1-11

Helpful thoughts:

  • Hannah’s exultation was placed in the Lord.  Her words were certainly a rebuke to her enemies, but what they heard from her was a call to trust in the Lord.
  • Accumulated wealth or prominence in this life are not what make a person great.  The Lord is the one who gives and takes away all these things.
  • Hannah’s “horn” and the “horn” of the Anointed are exalted at the beginning and the end of this prayer.  The horn of the animal was a symbol of strength.  Therefore, this was being used as a figure of speech; as if an animal would rise up on it’s hind legs and lift it’s horn in the air as a showing of strength.

Questions to consider:

  1. If riches, fame, or power do not make a person great, what and Who does (Verse 9)?
  2. We might expect Hannah to be rejoicing in her son, as if he was the ultimate prize.  But, what did the birth of Samuel remind Hannah of instead?  What was her great prize?
  3. Why would the woman who already has a number of children become forlorn when the barren woman has her own (Contrast Hannah’s source of Joy with Peninnah’s)?  How does this illustration tie in to verse 9?  How does this passage (Verses 3-10 specifically) describe the Gospel?

Devotional: 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Helpful thoughts:

  • In this first chapter, we come across the familiar theme of a man who loves his first wife and then marries another in order to produce an heir/offspring.
    • Hannah’s infertility was not by chance.  The Lord was at work.
  • Elkanah thought that perhaps he was worth more to Hannah than ten sons.  But, it was actually God (The Lord of Hosts) who was worth more than ten sons.
  • The firstborn son (For all Israel) belonged to the Lord (Exodus 13:2) to commemorate the plague of the firstborn in Egypt (Numbers 8:16-17).  They could be redeemed at one month or given to the Lord for service for a period of time.  Hannah (And Elkanah in support with her) chose to give Samuel to the Lord for life.

Questions to consider:

  1. What can we learn up to this point about Eli and the condition of worship at Shiloh from this chapter?  What was Eli’s assumption of Hannah’s silent fervent prayer?
  2. How did God use infertility and a “rival” or troubler (Peninnah) in Hannah’s life for her good?  What came from these hardships?
  3. Why was Hannah’s face no longer sad after she had prayed (Verse 18)?  What brought an end to her “great anxiety and vexation” since she had not even gotten pregnant yet?  How can God’s Gospel promises give us joy and peace even while we wait in the midst of hardships?

Devotional: 3 John 9-15

Today’s passage: 3 John 9-15

Helpful thoughts:

  • Gaius’ warm hospitality and co-laboring with the Apostle John is held in contrast with the rejection and selfishness of Diotrephes.
    • It seems that Diotrephes was keeping this other church from hearing/seeing the letter that John had sent.
    • Diotrephes did not want to share authority with John, with these men that John had sent, or anyone else.  Diotrephes had to be first.
  • John pulls no punches.  Gaius and Demetrius are from God (Believers).  Diotrephes has not seen God (An unbeliever).
  • John was willing and ready to point out to others who was following the Lord and who to watch out for.  When there are false teachers around, sound the alarm!

Questions to consider:

  1. What were the ways Diotrephes attempted to keep his grip on the church that he was trying to control?
  2. Does John ever criticize Diotrephes’ doctrinal positions?  What do elders need to do beside affirming the right doctrine?
  3. If John was going to come and make everyone aware of what Diotrephes was doing, what should the church he was holding hostage have been able to do?  Why is church membership and a biblical view of eldership so important?

Devotional: 3 John 5-8

Today’s passage: 3 John 5-8

Helpful thoughts:

  • In 2 John, the elect lady needed encouragement to not welcome false teachers into her home.  In 3 John, Gaius is commended for showing hospitality to true ministers of the Gospel.
  • Gaius’ love was exemplified in the acts of kindness toward these men in their need.  It encouraged not only these men, but all who became aware of it.
    • Our love for one another in Christ is contagious.  It benefits the whole body.
  • The word “Gentiles” is being used in this context to refer to unbelievers.  It would be a bad testimony for these men to be taking money from unbelievers considering the work they were doing.  Christians ought to support the work as we serve together in a variety of ways to get the message to the world.

Questions to consider:

  1. In what ways are the actions of Gaius similar to what we would experience in our support of missionaries today?
  2. Why does it make sense for Christian people to be the ones financially supporting these ministries?
  3. What does it mean to go out “for the sake of the name”?  How does the worship of Jesus bring joy to the people we reach with the Gospel message? (Psalm 67)

Devotional: 3 John 1-4

Today’s passage: 3 John 1-4

Helpful thoughts:

  • It is right and good to pray for every aspect of a person’s life?
    • It is good to pray for people’s health.
    • It is good to pray for people’s souls and spiritual growth.
    • It is good to pray for the situations and daily activities we all face.
  • Practicing what you preach is good…when you are preaching the truth.
    • Right thinking changes desires, which results in a change of our actions.
  • Seeing people come to faith in Christ and grow in true righteousness brings great joy to the church!

Questions to consider:

  1. What could the general topic of our prayers (Both individually and when we are together sharing requests) tell us about what we value?  What would it tell us about our willingness to engage with one another in spiritual growth?  What are some reasons we might refrain from sharing certain requests?
  2. Why is the word “truth” so important in this passage?  Can a person be super “spiritual” and not be walking in truth?  What does it mean to walk in truth?
  3. Who is the person (Who are the people) who greatly rejoices to see you walking in the truth?  Are you being discipled right now?  Who is a person (Or the people) who would say that you are that person for them?  Who are you actively discipling/evangelizing?  If those relationships are not there, what could you do to pursue them?

Devotional: 2 John 10-13

Today’s passage: 2 John 10-13

Helpful thoughts:

  • If we know that a teacher is coming who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, we are not to allow them to into the participation of our worship.
    • When these false teachers would come into the houses of the early churches, they would have a word or a message to share.  God’s command to us is simple, don’t even let him into the house.
  • When we welcome a false teacher into the “house” we become their accomplice, participating in their evil work.
  • Ministry is richer and sweeter when done in the fellowship of real personal relationships.  There are many great resources at our disposal in books, websites, podcasts, etc.  But, none of those things on their own can give you what the local church can.

Questions to consider:

  1. What would be the equivalent in our setting today for this command to not receive a false teacher?  How could we best apply this in our church services? Bible studies? Small groups for prayer? Etc.
  2. What is the difference between a person proclaiming a false gospel who claims to be a Christian and a person who does not claim to be a Christian?  How would our hospitality and approach be different?  How could the person who claims to be a Christian be more dangerous?
  3. How does personal relationship (Following Jesus together) make our joy “complete” in a way that individually studying, watching videos, or reading blogs can’t?  Why is the local church so important for your growth?  Why are you so important to your local church’s growth?  What are some ways we can utilize all the good books, videos, and other resources together?

Devotional: 2 John 4-9

Today’s passage: 2 John 4-9

Helpful thoughts:

  • Loving God, loving people, keeping God’s commandments all go hand in hand.  One cannot be done without doing the other.
  • “Watch yourselves” is a call to vigilance.  We want to run our race well and sprint across the finish line!
    • The best way to identify what is false is to be an expert in what is true.
  • There are those who preach and teach false doctrines and/or there are those who live false testimonies of conversion.  Both the teaching and the living are to be in accord with the teachings of Christ.

Questions to consider:

  1. How does John’s rejoicing in that some of the elect lady’s children believed and were walking in truth inform our posture towards our children’s faith?  Should we expect them all to believe and be angered when any of them do not? Or, should we remember the natural condition of their hearts and rejoice when any of them do believe?
  2. What is the difference between obedience inspired by love and compliance inspired by self-interest?  How could both look the same on the outside?  How easy is it to shift back to self-interest?  What truths can compel us to move toward obedience inspired by love (Hint: 2 Corinthians 3:18)?
  3. When we look into our motives like this, we might tend toward despair (“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” – Romans 7:24).  Why was the Apostle Paul right to answer this question with, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”?  Why are we the children of God?  Why and how are we growing progressively in following Christ, even for the right reasons?

Devotional: 2 John 1-3

Today’s passage: 2 John 1-3

Helpful thoughts:

  • The elder is the Apostle John.  The elect lady could be a church or it could refer to an individual lady, perhaps the lady of a household where the church was meeting.
  • This short letter will inform the “Lady” that she is not being rude or inhospitable should she refuse to allow a false teachers to enter into her home (Which would allow for the false teacher to speak and sow false doctrine).
  • God’s grace through Jesus Christ brings us into fellowship in the truth.  This bond we share as Christians in the truth of the Gospel spurs us on to love.

Questions to consider:

  1. If the lady of the house, or if the church itself is being called the “elect lady”, and the children are being called, “her children” what do we see as still necessary for those children?  Why would John not call them “elect” as well at this point?
  2. Once the truth has taken root in your heart, how long will it remain/abide (Verse 2)?  How would this truth encourage our understanding of the security of the believer’s salvation?
  3. In what ways is love strengthened by truth?  Should good doctrine and our study of it reduce our outpouring of love or increase it?