Failing At Confrontation (1 Samuel 1-4)

What happens when we are bold with the wrong people and weak with the right ones? In this sermon, we walk through the story of Eli in 1 Samuel and see a sobering picture of failed confrontation. Eli was quick to accuse Hannah when she was innocent and broken, but slow and weak to restrain his own sons when they were openly dishonoring God. His story exposes a danger that still faces us today: we often confront what makes us uncomfortable while ignoring what truly dishonors the Lord. This sermon challenges us to think carefully about discernment, courage, parenting, leadership, and the fear of God. It calls us to stop honoring people above God, stop tolerating sin that should be confronted, and learn to handle confrontation with righteousness, humility, and conviction. Most of all, this message points us to Jesus, our faithful Priest and Judge, who never condemned the innocent, never ignored rebellion, and never failed to deal rightly with sin. In this sermon: Eli’s wrong confrontation of Hannah Eli’s failure to restrain Hophni and Phinehas The danger of honoring men above God Why tolerated sin spreads How Jesus shows us what faithful confrontation looks like