Ebenezer

Israel's story in 1 Samuel 7 shows that God is eager and able to save those who will draw near to him through repentance and redemption.

Speakers

What does a relationship with God look like, what does it cost, and what does it consist of?
Some in the room are not Christians. Others have known Jesus a long time but feel he is far off — or they are.
All of us at some point will find ourselves drifting. How do we get back to God?
Main point: God is eager and able to save those who will draw near to him.
Context: the ark had sat at Abinadab's hill about 20 years, and would stay decades longer. Samuel returns to the story preaching repentance.

Lament. Israel "lamented after the Lord" — a bone-deep groan, not an intellectual acknowledgment of less-than-ideal circumstances.
Sin only moves one direction and always picks up speed. You are never too far gone to cry out to God.
Listen. They lamented, and God gave them a preacher. Samuel gave no new revelation — he echoed Deuteronomy 30's call to return to the Lord.
In 2009 Apple advertised "there's an app for that." Now "there's an AI for that." Neither will restore your relationship with the Lord.
Turn. Repentance means a change of mind and direction. Israel put away the Baals and Ashtaroth and served the Lord only.
Find your idols by asking what you get most frustrated over, and what you think you need to be happy.
Puritan John Flavel: "The greatest difficulty in conversion is to win the heart to God. The greatest difficulty after conversion is to keep the heart with God."

Confess. Israel drew water, poured it out, fasted, and said plainly, "We have sinned against the Lord."
Contrast the celebrity non-apology: "I'm sorry if my words offended anyone." That is a hypothetical apology that shifts blame.
The London Baptist Confession says it is every man's duty to repent of his particular known sins. Be specific.
Ask God this week to show you specific areas where you need to repent.
Trust. The Philistines attacked the moment Israel turned back. Israel asked Samuel not to stop crying out to God.
Their trust was not the absence of fear. Like Jehoshaphat, they did not know what to do, but their eyes were on God.
Does your repentance only last as long as pleasant circumstances prevail?

Repentance is necessary, but it is not the basis on which our relationship with God stands. Israel needed something outside themselves.
A sacrifice. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Guilt transferred to an animal that died in the people's place.
In National Treasure, Nicholas Cage returns the Declaration, but the FBI agent says someone's got to go to prison. That is the sacrificial system.
Samuel offered a nursing lamb, God thundered, and the Philistines were routed and lost two cities. Peace lasted all Samuel's days.
Samuel then built an altar at Ramah — because his work was not done. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin.
A mediator. Samuel brought God's word and rule to the people as prophet and judge, and their prayers and sacrifice to God as priest.
But Samuel died. Jesus holds his priesthood permanently and is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him.

Samuel raised a stone and named it Ebenezer — "stone of help" — saying, "Till now the Lord has helped us."
Ebenezer was the site of Israel's humiliating defeat in chapter 4, when they fought in their own strength. Samuel redeemed the name.
Do you have any way of memorializing how God has helped you?
The Lord's Supper is like many Ebenezers: bread and cup held out, "Do this in remembrance of me."

Repentance looks like lament, listening, turning, confession, and trust.
Turning is a matter of the heart, not merely deleting the app or ending the relationship.
Jesus is the perfect substitute and the permanent intercessor Samuel could never be.
Because God has been faithful until now, he will be faithful forever.