The Orchard Church - A Christian Community & Mission Organization

After God's Own Heart

A Summer Series on 1 & 2 Samuel

1. The 3-D Heart of Hannah

The opening two chapters of 1 Samuel describe how the need of Hannah is meshed with the will of God. Hannah comes before God, powerless, seeking Him for a child. Only God can change her situation. As she offers herself to God over a long period, God's Spirit speaks into her heart - the heart of God combines with her heart, and the plans of God are revealed to Hannah.

God orchestrates a blessing in the form of a miracle. And like all blessings, it develops into something much grander than satisfying a personal need. For Hannah is to conceive a child who is to be dedicated to God. Samuel will be a faithful leader for God's people ...

Doug Ellis | June 1, 2025 | 1 Samuel 1:1-2:36

2. The Word was Rare No More

1 Samuel 3 describes a period of time in the history of Israel when God's word is described as “rare” or “precious”. Though the priests have access to the word of God, they are failing in their responsibility to deliver the word of God (through teaching and role-modeling). Instead, they are “going their own way”, the word of God is not active, and the people of God become blind to truth.

But Samuel sought out God's words, and this chapter describes the night when God first spoke to Samuel in a series of dreams. Thus, the blindness to God's word is being replaced with clarity.

Want to read rather than listen? Select the message article: [Click]

Doug Ellis | June 8, 2025 | 1 Samuel 3

3. Truth, Legends, and the Ark Narratives

1 Samuel 4-7 describes what is commonly called the Ark Narratives, but might be better called "The Ark Goes on a Long Trip". These chapters describe both legend and truth, and these two things are not always the same. Legend might describe a time of truth, but the truth is obscured and lost. Legend often is easy and lazy.

For us today, we need to be a people wo do not live according to the laziness of legend. Instead we need to be a people who pursue God's truth and God's will.

Doug Ellis | June 15, 2025 | 1 Samuel 4-7

4. Israel Asks for a King

In 1 Samuel 8, we read about the Israelites' demand for a king to lead them and judge them. Samuel confers with the Lord, who responds that "they have rejected me as their King" and tells Samuel to warn them about what they're really asking for. They insist that they want to have a king "like all the other nations," setting the stage for Saul to prove Samuel right in the chapters that follow.

For us today, in what ways are each of us rejecting Jesus as our King in the same way the Isaraelites rejected YHWH? Are we coveting things of the world, or are we making human kings out of other Christians, letting them serve as diviners of God's plan for us?

Paul Parry | June 22, 2025 | 1 Samuel 8

5. The Middleman Problem

Chapters 9-11 tell the advancing story of how Saul becomes the anointed King of Israel, being confirmed by God through Samuel, and then by the people. And, the threat that precipitated Israels hunger for a king, is vanquished in 1 Samuel 11.

It may seem that all is well, but Samuel points out that things are now more complex. The people of Israel are always responsible for following God, but having a King means that the King is like a middleman. It is vital that the King follows God.

Doug Ellis | July 6, 2025 | 1 Samuel 9-12

6. A Spiritual Leader is a Magnifying Glass

In 1 Samuel 13-15, we see Saul displaying natural leadership, and failing at being a leader for God.

This may be shocking to us. We are all familiar with leadership in our world, as we see it in government, business, sports, the military, etc. Such leaders rally people around them and their causes - they are decisive, influential, commanding, and elevated. We expect leaders for God to be the same, but they cannot be.

Though a spiritual leader may have some of the traits of a natural leader, the spiritual leader does not display self-power, self-glory, or self-righteousness. The spiritual leader has one job, and that is to magnify God for others. If they lead in such a way that they themselves are magnified, then they fail as a spiritual leader.

Doug Ellis | July 13, 2025 | 1 Samuel 13-15

7. The Apprentice

When David was first anointed as King of Israel, he didn't immediately take the throne. That wouldn't happen for another 15-20 years. Why the wait? Why wouldn't God replace the self-centered Saul immediately?

Most all of God's anointed leaders - men like Moses, Paul, Peter, and Samuel - go through a period of apprenticeship. The Spirit of God nurtures them, matures their heart, and purifies them through failure. Saul didn't have that period ... David did.

For us as Christians, we are also called to be used by God. We are a holy people, and the Church is the environment where we are conditioned in apprenticeship to move to maturity and usefulness. This message describes seven discipleship experiences - some break down the sin and anti-love we have, and some build us up in the truth, love, and holiness of God.

Doug Ellis | July 20, 2025 | 1 Samuel 16-20

8. David and the Three Lies

Saul is intent on killing David. David is not only fearful of Saul, but of those who might report him, and of anyone he thinks is an enemy. Alone, trying to protect himself, he lies ... not once or twice, but three times.

How can a God-fearing man such as David do this? Does he not trust that God will preserve him?

This is a challenging topic because it considers messy situations and messy ethical dilemmas that many Christians face. Though we may prefer black and white answers, messy situations are gray. This message explores these lies of David, the lies of others in Scripture, and three reasons why someone might feel justified to break the moral or religious standards that God has given to us.

Doug Ellis | July 27, 2025 | 1 Samuel 20-23

9. Mindfulness of God's Will

God's will plays out in small moments, every day of your life. We have choices between family, habits, temptations, personal preferences, and God's will. Which will we choose?

We want God's will for our lives because it is the best course for our lives. Being mindful actively considers that God's will should be paramount in our lives in all the moments of our lives. In these chapters of 1 Samuel, we see how David is allowing God to be in control in three situations - David could choose to interfere with God's will or change the timing of God's will. But he doesn't. God is top.

Doug Ellis | August 3, 2025 | 1 Samuel 24-26