The Listening Heart

Introduction

Really enjoyed series that we went through last month “The Secret Place” on prayer. It’s all on our youtube channel if you’d like to revisit any of the sermons.

Starting new series on “Like Christ”. As believers we’re asked to be Christ like - imitating who He is. This series we’re going to delve into some of the crucial christlike behaviours that we as Christians should be paying attention to.

And today I want to start off the series with one that is definitely less talked about than normal.

And it is this trait of: A listening heart.

When I say that, you may not even have picked it out as a Christlike trait - but it’s not only a Christlike trait. This has been written about long before Christ walked the Earth - in the Old Testment.

When God approached solomon and told him to ask for whatever he wanted in 1 Kings 3 solomon could have asked for anything - he could have asked for money, wealth, women, fame.

Many people think that he asked directly for wisdom.

However what he actually asked for was “Lev Shomea” - directly translated from Hebrew it actually means “A listening heart”

It’s a strange concept - what does it actually mean to have a listening heart, and what makes it so precious that Solomon would ask for it despite being offered quite literally ANYTHING else he could have?

Let’s get in to it today.

Pray.

Segment 1: A Listening Heart

Let’s turn to 1 Kings 12:6-11. This is the story of Rehoboam - Solomon’s son who succeeded Solomon as king. Unlike his father, Rehoboam did not have Lev Shomea (a listening/discerning heart) and the results were catastrophic.

This passage takes place right after Rehoboam becomes king and the leaders of all the tribes of Israel have come before him and are requesting that Rehoboam lighten the load of their labours, and in exchange - all the tribes of Israel would serve Rehoboam forever. This is what he does after that request:

1 Kings 12:6–11 ESV

6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’ ”

This passage is actually being purposefully delicate in v 10 with Rehoboam’s response regarding his little finger and father’s thighs. The reality that scholars note is that “little finger” and “thighs” are actually euphemisms that reference Rehoboam’s genitals.

Effectively this is a young man who, driven by his ego, chooses his counsel poorly and makes a terrible mistake as a result. Instead of lightening the load and earning the favour of all of Israel, Rehoboam chooses to double down and make their load even heavier.

The consequences of which are horrific for him - The nation of Israel was permanently split into two separate kingdoms; the Northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.

10 tribes rebelled against Rehoboam’s rule

All of this hinged on a single moment - when Rehoboam chose to listen to poor counsel.

Can I just say that every Christian should have elders speaking into their life. The person who does not have a counsel of elders, mentors, wise men is breaching a wisdom principle in scripture that is outlined in Proverbs 12:15 “15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

This phrase “right in his own eyes” is an echo of a powerful phrase that is found at the end of the book of Judges. The book of Judges details a society that is in moral freefall - the entire fabric of the nation was falling apart. And the reason is stated in the final verse of the book: Judges 21:25 “25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

What this should tell us is that the human heart, when it is left as its own highest authority - it drifts. It does not reliably self-correct to wisdom, or the things of God.

Scripture and history reveal to us that when a person lives above reproach, as the final authority in their own lives - we do not drift toward wisdom and holiness, we gravitate to godlessness and degeneracy.

This is the manifestation of Proverbs 14:12 “12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

When self is the final authority - we become the engine of our own ruin. God did not make us to be our own kings.

One of the most crucial remedies for this that God has given to us is the advent of Godly Counsel. The presence of people in our lives who can spot weakness and speak wisdom into our lives.

To have a Listening Heart “Lev Shomea”, is to desire the voice of God in our lives

Solomon wrote extensively about the importance of Godly counsel in the wisdom literature.

Proverbs 11:14 “14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 15:22 “22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” Proverbs 24:6 “6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.” Proverbs 27:17 “17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

Segment 2: A Discerning Heart

But here’s where we have to learn from Rehoboam - “Lev Shomea” a Listening heart - can also be translated as a “discerning heart”.

An important note to make, because as Rehoboam shows us - Discernment isn’t just about opening the ear - it’s about choosing the voice to listen to

We live in a world where there is no shortage of voices, some good - most bad. The constant stream of secular media that we consume on a daily basis is only one example of how easily we allow any voice into our lives.

Rehoboam’s story reveals to us that access to wisdom is not the same thing as choosing it.

The reasons for Rehoboam’s choice of counsel is laid out quite clearly in these passages: 1 Kings 12:6 “6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?”” 1 Kings 12:8 “8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.”

The key contrast in these phrases is the term “stood before”. This term effectively means to be in someone’s service. The elders served SOLOMON, a far greater king and as a result had vastly more experience. The younger men served REHOBOAM - they had no experience and were DEPENDENT on him, their status was tied to his favour. They probably couldn’t be honest even if they wanted to.

Here’s the thing - Everybody has a court of advisors in their life. We become shaped by the counsel we choose.

Scripture is clear on the fact that counsel is so important that bad counsel can ruin a person: 1 Corinthians 15:33 “33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.””

If we are not choosing to DISCERN the advisors that speak into our lives, then we are choosing to DEFAULT that decision - often to the voices that are nearest to us, loudest to us, most pleasing to us, and affirming of us - which is exactly what happened to Rehoboth.

Rehoboam did not exercise discernment when he picked his court of advisors - he did not pick the men who had vast experience leading the kingdom, who would have had not just sharp instinct, but connections. They would have observed Solomon and watched the way he led - the good and the bad. They would have been neutral, owing Rehoboth nothing - they would have spoken the truth.

Instead he defaulted, he chose voices that were pleasing to his own ears - voices that fed his ego and affirmed the direction which he was already heading in. He chose people who would not speak ill against him, since they were all dependent on him.

Proverbs 13:20 “20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

Are we aware of the voices that are speaking into our lives? Have we been discerning when it comes to purposefully choosing the people who speak into us?

Or are we surrounding ourselves only with the people who know how to flatter us, who’s voices we enjoy to hear?

ILLUSTRATION: Mentoring

Ever since young I have been so blessed to be exposed to the concept of mentoring. Having mentors in my life that speak wisdom and discernment into me, who don’t just affirm me and open doors for me but also know how to say no to me, and how to correct me when they sense I have walked off the path God is calling me to.

Actually one of my spiritual fathers was in church just last week. I’ve told some of you the story about how in a season where I wanted to leave ministry to pursue other things because I had grown tired of the place that I was in, he rebuked me - and reminded me that God had called me to ministry since I was young. He prophesied a season of hiding over me, where I was to serve faithfully where I was at, and humble myself in the process, not seeking my own advancement, but the faithful stewardship of my calling “faithfulness, not success” as he said. It was a painful season which lasted for two whole years. By the time I came out of that season - I thought that my ministry was dead because nobody knew who I was since I had been hiding for two years. But along came mr Dan Sheikh, just a week after I came out of that season, and that’s how I got the job here. Left to just me? I would have rebelled and left that season of ministry and calling behind. And there WERE flattering voices, who would’ve told me to “fight for what I want” and that “I’d served God enough.”

Another one of my mentors was a former leader in the YWAM base in Perth. I picked him to speak into my life specifically because I realised that of the many things of the kingdom that I was passionate about - I was lacking a passion for the lost. And so one day we were out in Perth city when he raised the topic of loving the lost and enquired how my journey was going in this area. So I began to share with him as we walked, and told him that the thing I really struggle with is how do you even bring up the topic of Jesus without being shut down? And literally - as I was asking him that question, he tapped a complete stranger in front of us on the shoulder and said, “Excuse me miss, my friend here would like to pray for you. Is that ok?” she ended up tearing up during the prayer and thanked us profusely before heading off. Which is when my mentor dropped a lesson about evangelism that I have carried with me since, “just remember Jon - it is the kindness of God that leads people to repentance. Start by serving them.”

This is the importance of having a listening heart. Without the voices of my mentors speaking in to my life, there is no chance that I would be where I am today

It is pretty much exclusively because they could see things that I couldn’t, and loved me enough to teach me hard lessons, even ones that I may not have wanted to hear at the time.

Segment 3: Obedience

At this point we could be mistaken to think that having Lev Shomea, a listening heart - is all about discerning the right voices into our life. But that’s only half the picture.

Having a Lev Shomea is about more than just allowing the right voices into our life - it is about what we do in response to those voices - even when the word that God speaks to us is difficult and challenging, or in situations of correction or rebuke.

The word Shomea “listening/hearing” comes from the Hebrew word Shama - which is the original verb “heard” however the true meaning goes far beyond just hearing. It implies hearing and being moved to respond to that word. This follows the Hebrew belief that you haven’t truly “heard” something until you’ve actually responded to the speaker’s words.

A listening heart isn’t just the right voices in - it’s the right response out

And this is true of us even today, Scripture tells us that we can freely ask God for wisdom and discernment: James 1:5 “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” and yet without applying the wisdom to the way we live our lives, that wisdom remains useless. Which is why James follows with James 1:22 “22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Nobody teaches us this more than Solomon himself, who asked God for Lev Shomea, and was granted a listening heart, was granted discernment in matters of good and evil. But who ultimately failed to obey God when it counted.

Twice the Lord appeared to Solomon and gave a stern warning that he should not go after others gods, and twice he failed to keep that command.

1 Kings 11:4 “4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.”

1 Kings 11:9–10 “9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded.”

Solomon’s Lev, his heart - had turned away from the Lord. The wisdom and the discernment that God gave him was rendered useless not because he didn’t have the right voices coming in, but because he did not have the correct response going out.

Do you know that In the end, it was Solomon’s disobedience that led to the tragic situation with Rehoboam that we started this sermon with? 1 Kings 11:11 “11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.”

The consequences of not having a Listening Heart. We may be able to discern the voice of God, but it is meaningless if we are not able to act in obedience.

Wisdom is not the same thing as surrender, and discernment is not obedience, hearing is not the same as heeding.

My spiritual father used to say to me “Truth alone doesn’t change anyone, but truth applied does.”

In other words Discerning the Word of God isn’t the same as obeying it. Solomon received the rebuke and the clear warning twice from God - and yet refused to let it move him, and he was punished for it.

And I feel that this is where many Christians fail to act. God’s already spoken to us, there’s a word that’s in our lives which we know deep down is right, God is prompting us and speaking into our lives and we know that it’s Him. But we don’t move our feet to run, we don’t move our hands to serve.

But I believe that today God is telling some people here that: it’s time to not just sit on the word, but to surrender to it It’s time to not just hear the instruction, but to heed it It’s time to not just discern the voice but to obey it

Perhaps God is calling you to step out in faith into a new season of life, perhaps it’s trusting Him with the calling that He’s pronounced over you, perhaps he’s pointing at an area of unforgiveness in your life and calling you to act on it, perhaps He’s asking you to rediscover your secret place with Him again.

God desires for us to have Lev Shomea, a Listening Heart, a heart that not only hears but also boldly HEEDS the voice of God in our lives.

ILLUSTRATION: The Prophetic

You know, I got this sermon topic because of something that God’s recently been doing in me, which exposed this as a weak area in my life.

Ever since I was young - I have been exposed to the prophetic - and it was a ministry that I had felt like God wanted me to move in. There was only one problem, I hated it. Out of the fivefold ministries listed in Ephesians if there was one that I would NOT want to be, it would be the prophetic. I had been exposed to so many prophets who pushed people over, who twisted the word of God for personal gain, who prophesied with lofty judgment and condescension. I had learned to despise the prophetic.

And so I ran from it. I left it behind in my life - didn’t act at all on any prophetic impulses I felt that I may have been receiving, if there was a gift in me, it was buried somewhere untouchable for more than a decade.

2 years ago, one of the oldest prophetic voices in the city called me and asked to catch up. It was completely out of the blue, incredibly random - this was not a man that I was really expecting to meet. But, since I’m asian and have a borderline unhealthy respect for my elders, I obliged him and headed over to his house for a meeting. This was around the time that I had just joined HFTC.

The meeting was terrifying, it felt like an interrogation. A father of the faith in the city asking me about my calling, my church. Most of my answers pretty much ranged from “I’m not sure” to “I don’t know”. Halfway through the interrogation he stopped me suddenly and asked me, “young man are you running away from something?” I was like, “well not that I’m aware of.” And then almost immediately he put his finger on it - “are you running away from a prophetic gifting in your life?” You know - sometimes when the Lord speaks to you, it is gentle and loving and warm? This wasn’t that. This was like a prod right between the ribs. I felt conviction flood into me right away. The rest of the meeting was a blur as I nodded my way out of it. I left that meeting - and immediately proceeded to completely ignore what had just happened.

Fast forward to the 19th of March this year, we had an ACC pastors meeting, where all the pastors from around the state come to worship and pray together. Everything was normal - right up until the altar call. I didn’t respond to this particular altar call, I just stayed at the back minding my own business when I saw another lead pastor make a beeline for me in a terrifying no-nonsense “I have a word for you” sort of ways. He reached me, put his hand on my shoulder and just said to me without any context or explanation in exactly the same tone and voice as the old church father “The Lord is telling you to stop running away from the prophetic.” Now I’ve never ever talked about this to anyone outside this church, CERTAINLY not this pastor. Man I tell you if the first warning made me burn with conviction - the second warning made my blood run cold. I knew right then and there, that to walk away from this again - would be an act of blatant disobedience. So I chose, in that moment, to have a Lev Shomea. To listen and walk in this gift that I knew so little about.

Then 3 weeks ago Dan preached a powerful message at our 5PM service. And during the altar call he came up to me with zero warning, as he does, and said “I’m calling you up on stage soon and you better get ready for some prophetic stuff” (verbatim). I got on my knees immediately and prayed God, this is me not running - if you want me to use this gift, then use me. And immediately a vision jumped out in my mind - which I released over the service and we had a powerful time of ministry.

And this is why a listening heart is so important - because it is the difference between knowing the will of God, and walking in it.

Call up keys

Segment 4: Just like Jesus

You know there is One who modelled for us the perfect Lev Shomea, the perfect listening heart, one who succeeded where Solomon failed - one who didn’t just discern the voice of God but obeyed it completely. Jesus had Lev Shomea, Jesus had the perfect listening heart.

Matthew 12:42 “42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”

Solomon was the wise king who failed to steward his Lev Shomea, but Jesus is the greater one who came and perfectly exemplifies what having Lev Shomea is.

Jesus sought the voice of God earnestly - from young He postured Himself to intentionally permit the voice of God into His life. it says that Mark 1:35 “35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”

Jesus carefully discerned the voice of God from other voices that were in His life: John 5:30 “30 “…I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

And more than just receiving the voice of the Lord into His life - he practised a constant obedience to the voice of the Father, even when that obedience led Him to difficult places, even when that obedience led Him eventually to the cross - he maintained Luke 22:42 “Father, not my will, but yours, be done.””

It is because of Jesus’ perfect Listening Heart that we have salvation by grace through faith. It is because of Jesus’ Listening Heart that God now speaks to us in greater measure than ever before. It is through Jesus’ Lev Shomea that WE can now listen to the Father from a place of intimacy. Amen.

Altar Call

Salvation Altar Call

Responding to the Word of God in your life.