Untitled Sermon

Rayton Christian Church

Who is like our God Part 5

Hearing Gods Word

23 June 2019

Listen and Hear the Word of the Lord

O earth, earth, earth,

Hear the word of the Lord!

(). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Why is it important to hear the Word of God for our self?

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

And whose hope is the Lord.1

The New King James Version. ()

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,

Who delights greatly in His commandments

1 The New King James Version. ().

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.1

1 The New King James Version. ()

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

And the man who gains understanding;1

1 The New King James Version. ()

29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. 1

1 The New King James Version. ()

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call to him while he is near.

Christian Standard Bible. ()

In doing that, God has revealed Himself through,

Firstly, God reveals Himself audibly

: “The Lord had said to Abram.…” A clear example is when God called out to Samuel (see ), and at first Samuel thought Eli was calling him.

Second, God has revealed himself through dreams,

such as Joseph’s (). Later, Pharaoh had two related dreams and God enabled Joseph to interpret them (). Joseph specifically told Pharaoh, “God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do” (vv. 25, 28).

Third, God has revealed himself through visions,

for instance, to Abraham (). After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”[1]

The book of Daniel contains four visions God gave him regarding future world rulers, kingdoms, and God’s work to establish his eternal kingdom that would replace all human kingdoms.

–1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream,[2]

“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.[3]

Fourth, God has revealed himself through messengers,

such as prophets and angels. The Hebrew word translated prophet (nabi) means “speaker,” that is, one who speaks for God.

The Hebrew and Greek terms translated angel (malak and angelos) both mean “messenger.” Sometimes angels accompanied a vision God gave to a prophet (e.g., ; ).

Fifth, God’s ultimate revelation of himself was through his Son, Jesus Christ

18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.[4]

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.[5]

But for today

Many voices are heard today, the voices of governments, of education, of the business world, of labor groups, of politicians.

However, above all of these is the voice of God. Have you heard the Word of the Lord?

I. Why should we hear the Word of the Lord?

A. Because of our fallen nature.

B. Because we live in a deceived world

C. Because we were created by God for God.

II. What shall we hear when we hear the Word of the Lord?

A. Words of conviction:

“ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

()

“ Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned”

()

“ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.1

()

B. Words of invitation

“Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

().

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,”

Says the Lord”

“28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

()

C. Words of salvation

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

()

“16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”

()

“ For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.”

()

III. What are the hindrances to hearing the Word of the Lord

A. The love of sin

“Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

()

“ And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

()

B. The stealing of Satan

“ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

()

C. The lies of Satan.

“Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

()

IV. What are the results of refusing to hear the Word of the Lord?

A. They shall seek God but will be unable to find Him

24 Because I have called and you refused,

I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

25 Because you disdained all my counsel,

And would have none of my rebuke,

26 I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your terror comes,

27 When your terror comes like a storm,

And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,

When distress and anguish come upon you.

“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.1

()

B. They shall eat of the fruit of their own way

30 They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.1

()

“Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.”

()

C. They shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’1

()

In closing this morning:

V. What are the results of believing the Word of the Lord?

A. Salvation by grace

“ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.1

()

B. Sealing by the Holy Spirit

“For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 1

()

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

Amen & Amen

Adapted from J. C. Keller1

1 Keller, J. C. (1974). Hear the Word of the Lord. In Heart-Touching Sermon Outlines (p. 11). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

[1] The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[2] The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[3] The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[4] The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[5] The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.