Hannah, a Woman of Faith

TEXT1 Sam. 2:1-11

INTRODUCTION:

A.      ONLY TWO CHAPTERS TELL US ABOUT HANNAH.

          1.       Mother of one of the greatest prophets and judges.

          2.       A woman of great faith and persistence.

B.      HANNAH EXIBITED SOME CHARACTERISTICS WORTHY OF CONTEMPLATION

          AND IMITATION.

WOMEN OF FAITH:

I.      ENCOUNTER REAL PROBLEMS (1 Sam. 1:1-8).

A.      HANNAH HAD A HUSBAND WHO LOVED HER.

          1.       A man of faith (vs. 3;  Judges 21:25).  Not everyone so devoted.

          2.       He favored Hannah (vs. 5).

          3.       He was concerned and sought to comfort her (vs. 8).

          4.       Yet, there was misery in Hannah’s life (vs. 2,  5-7).

B.      BOTH MEN AND WOMEN WILL EXPERIENCE “THORNS & THISTLES.”

          1.       A consequence of sin in the Garden (Gen. 3:17-19).

          2.       There is good and evil in this world (Job. 2:10;  Ecc. 7:14).

          3.       We will get our share (Matt. 5:45;  Acts 14:22).

II.     PRAY FERVENTLY (1 Sam. 1:9-18).

A.      PEOPLE REACT DIFFERENTLY TO CHALLENGES IN THEIR LIVES.

          1.       Some are driven away from the Lord (Matt. 13:20-22).

          2.       The faithful are drawn that “place of refuge” (James 5:13;  4:8;  Psa. 27:1, 13).

B.      HER COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED BY FAITHFUL PRAYER

          (1 Pet 5:7;  Phil. 4:4-7).

III.    EXPERIENCE GOD’S PROVISION (1 Sam. 1:19-20).

A.      GOD LISTEN’S TO PRAYER (James 5:16;  1 Pet. 3:10-12).

B.      HE ANSWERS ACCORDING TO OUR NEED (Matt. 7:7-11).

C.      SOMETIMES HE SAYS “NO.”

IV.   KEEP THEIR VOWS (1 Sam. 1:21-28).

A.      A FIRST CONCERN OF THE PSALMIST (Psa. 116:14)

B.      WHO IS GOING TO HEAVEN? (Psa. 15:1, 4).

C.      WHETHER TO MEN OR GOD (Ecc. 5:2-6).

D.      WE HAVE VOWED FAITHFULNESS č (Rom. 6:4;  2 Cor. 5:17).

V.    SHOW APPRECIATION THRU PRAISE (1 Sam. 2:1-11).

A.      CONSIDER WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN REDEEMING US (John 3:16).

B.      OUR SALVATION MAKES OUR SAVIOR WORTHY (Psa. 34:3;  18:3;  Heb. 13:15).

CONCLUSION:

A.      HANNAH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF HER PLACE IN HISTORY.

B.      AND BECAUSE OF THE LESSONS OF HER FAITHFUL LIFE.