Sermon Outline Title: Can You Hear God’s Voice Calling to Sinners
Bible Text: 1 Samuel 3:1-10
Theme: God Still Speaks to the Heart
Big Idea: Like Samuel, God calls to every person — often softly and early in life — and blessed are those who listen and answer.
1. The Prayer and Promise of Hannah
a. Samuel’s story begins with his mother’s faithful prayers. Hannah longed for a child and never stopped asking God for a miracle.
b. Even when it seemed that God wasn’t listening, she remained steadfast and hopeful — an example of faith through silence.
c. When her prayer was answered, she kept her vow and dedicated her son to the Lord’s service.
d. God still honors the prayers of the faithful, even when the answer seems delayed.
a. Many lose faith when their prayers seem unanswered — but God’s timing is perfect.
b. If you are faithful and obedient, don’t give up before your miracle comes.
c. Hannah’s persistence brought forth one of Israel’s greatest prophets.
2. The Call of the Child Samuel
a. God spoke to Samuel as a boy — a time when he didn’t yet fully understand who God was.
b. He mistook God’s voice for Eli’s and ran to him, saying, “Here am I.”
c. Three times God called, and three times Samuel went to Eli, until Eli realized it was the Lord calling the child.
d. Eli told Samuel, “When He calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.’”
a. God still calls people — often when they are young and tender-hearted.
b. His voice may not be audible, but the tug in the heart is unmistakable.
3. My Personal Call from God
a. Like Samuel, I first felt that call as a child — not through a voice, but through a stirring in my heart I could not explain.
b. My mother took us to church, and I remember the feeling of being drawn to the altar, though I didn’t yet understand salvation.
c. I followed others forward and was baptized, believing I was doing what was right, but I lacked the understanding that only comes through true conviction.
d. The seed was planted, but it would take time — and God’s persistence — to bring it to full bloom.
4. The Season of Straying
a. Like many, I strayed during my teenage years — the years when we think we know it all.
b. I ran with the wrong crowd and learned quickly how far sin can take you.
c. I began to question if God even existed, but deep down, I never doubted there was a hell — God kept that truth alive in my heart.
d. I knew I was headed for destruction, but Jesus never stopped calling. Even when I ignored His voice, He kept speaking softly in my soul.
a. By the time I was 21, I knew where I was going — and it wasn’t heaven.
b. At 23½, during a spring revival, I finally surrendered to that still small voice.
c. This time, I knew exactly who was calling — Jesus Christ, my Savior.
d. I gave Him my heart, made my public confession, and found the peace I had been missing since childhood.
5. The Assurance of Salvation
a. I could have brushed it off, told myself I’d already “done the salvation thing,” but I wanted to be 100% sure — not 98 or 99%.
b. True salvation brings peace, confidence, and a desire to serve.
c. Many have a similar testimony — saved young, wandered far, then truly met Jesus later in life.
d. Whatever your story is, make it sure today. Don’t live with doubt — you can know that you know that you’re saved.
a. If you once went through the motions but never felt the transformation, God still calls.
b. Be twice sure, not once wondering.
Illustration / Example:
I once baptized a 33-year-old man who had gone to the altar years before. The preacher told him, “You’re alright, sit back down.” But he wasn’t alright — and he knew it. He said, “I’ve done things God’s people don’t do.” Later, he came forward again, truly repentant, and found the peace of salvation he’d been missing all along. He told me, “I’d rather be twice sure than once wondering.” That’s the best kind of sure there is.
Alliterated Main Points:
Prayer – Hannah’s faith brought forth a miracle.
Persistence – God calls those who keep seeking Him.
Personal Call – The Lord still speaks to hearts today.
Prodigal Years – Sin can drown out God’s voice but not silence it.
Peace – Salvation brings confidence, not confusion.
Conclusion / Invitation:
God still speaks — sometimes in a whisper, sometimes through conviction, sometimes through life’s circumstances — but He still calls. The question is, will you answer? Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” Can you say that today? If there’s any doubt in your heart about your salvation, make it right. Be twice sure rather than once wondering. Jesus is still calling your name — don’t let the moment pass. Who He calls He calls publicly (Matthew 10:32-33).