I Samuel 2:22-36

 

 

In the scripture passage before us today, we find a painful account of the shortcomings and failures of Eli as a father. Fortunately, this passage illustrates beautifully God’s view of fathers.

 

 

ELI DEMONSTRATED SEVERAL EXCELLENT QUALITIES:                                            I Samuel 1:3

Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.

 

1.         He was spiritually sensitive.

 

2.         He was a patient man.

 

 

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT ELI THE FATHER:

 

1.         He was effective at his job , but ineffective at home .

I Samuel 2:12-17

2.         He disciplined his sons too littleÑtoo late.                                      vv. 22-23

 

3.         He did not listen to the warnings of God and the community.     vv.11,12,24

 

A Survey of 2,400 Teens:

74             percent of church youth said they were involved in one or more of ten at-risk behaviors.

31             percent were involved in three or more at-risk behaviors.

51             percent say their congregation does a good job of giving them a sense of purpose in life.

43             percent say they receive care and support from their church.

CSource: Search Institute

 

4.         Eli and his sons forfeited a God-given call upon their lives.            vv. 25-27

 

5.         Eli’s compromise led to less influence on the lives of his sons.              v.28

I chose your father out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your father’s house all the offerings made with fire by the Israelites.

 

6.         Eli was held accountable by God for his sons failures.                   vv. 29-30

 

 

Even though he may be a senator, a governor, a president of a college or a top industrialist, a man just might make his most significant contribution to America by the kind of far-reaching but unsung job he does in his own home as a father.                                  Walter MacPeek

 

HOW CAN I HONOR THE FATHER?

 

1.         Hear the truth . God’s Word is truth.

 

2.         Love the Lord with all your heart .

 

3.         Teach your children diligently .

 


4.         Fear the Lord.

 

 

The Kind of Dad I’d Buy

If I went shopping for a dad,

Here is what I’d buy:

One who would always stop

To answer a little boy’s AWhy?

One who would always speak kindly

To a little girl or boy,

One who would give to others

A bit of sunshine and joy.

 

I’d pick a dad that followed

The Bible’s Golden Rule,

And one who went regularly

To church and Sunday school.

I’d buy the very finest dad

To place on our family tree,

And then I’d try to live like him

So he would be proud of me.

Helen Kitchell Evans