God Is Trying to Tell You Something

Scriptural Text: ,

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey tells of a father who came to him saying, “I can’t understand my kid. He just won’t listen to me.” Covey patiently tried to get the dad to see the inconsistency of his statement. You don’t understand people by getting them to listen to you. You understand them when you listen to them.

Covey suggests that there are five levels of listening:

• We may be ignoring another person, not really listening at all.

• We may be pretending to listen.

• We may be practicing selective listening, drifting in and out of the conversation and paying attention to only parts of what the other person is saying.

• We may be listening attentively.

• But very few of us ever practice the fifth level, the highest form of listening—empathic listening, listening with intent to understand, to get inside the other person’s frame of reference, seeking to understand them emotionally as well as intellectually.*

What is God saying to His human creation in our day and time?

In brief, He is saying, “Jesus Christ is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”

Because God’s message in Jesus is a moral pronouncement. Men and women do not wish to be under the authority of the moral Word of God!

For centuries, God spoke in many ways. He inspired holy men to write portions of the message in a book. People do not like it so they try their best to avoid it because God has made it the final test of all morality, the final test of all Christian ethics.

People are called upon to listen attentively to God’s word, to his Son and also to words of wisdom.

The importance of listening(, , )

(ESV) — 10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

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(ESV) — 15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.

(ESV) — 2 Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord God be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

(ESV) — 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

(ESV) — 16 So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen.

The Importance of listening to Jesus Christ (; , ; ; ; ; )

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Matthew 17:5 (ESV) — 5 He was still

; :27Matthew 17:5 (ESV) — 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

(ESV) — 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

(NKJV) 5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

(ESV) — 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

(ESV) — 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

See also

(ESV) — 10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand:

(ESV) — 16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

The importance to listening to words of wisdom (; , ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

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Proverbs 19:20 (ESV) — 20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

(ESV) — 20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

(ESV) — 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

(ESV) — 11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

(ESV) — 7 And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

(ESV) — 24 And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

(ESV) — 32 “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. 34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

(ESV) — 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Christians must not only listen to God’s word but also put it into practice. Those who refuse to listen to God’s word or to correction are condemned.

Christians must not only listen to God’s word but also put it into practice. Those who refuse to listen to God’s word or to correction are condemned.

God’s people must not only listen to God’s word but also put it into practiceLk 11:28; , ; ; )

; In Hebrew and Greek the verb “listen” is related by the verb “to obey”.

Note: In Hebrew and Greek the verb “listen” is related by the verb “to obey”.

(ESV) — 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

(ESV) — 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

See also

(ESV) — 32 And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it.

(ESV) — 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

(ESV) — 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

The Reason We Can’t Hear: Note the various causes of terrible sin in any person life

The Golden Calf—The Breaking of the Covenant Between God and Man: A Picture of Man's Corrupt Heart and Rebellion Against God, 32:1-35

1. impatience (). 2. pressure from a crowd (). 3. suggesting evil to a weak leader ().

2. pressure from a crowd (). Aaron had been left in charge of the people while Moses was up on the mountain.

3. suggesting evil to a weak leader (). Aaron was weak, tragically weak,

Aaron had been left in charge of the people while Moses was up on the mountain.

5. believing deliverance is of man not God (). Note, the people credited Moses with having delivered and saved them from Egyptian slavery.

Aaron was weak, tragically weak,

4. disobeying God's commandments (). Believing in false gods and worshipping idols 5. believing deliverance is of man not God (). Note, the people credited Moses with having delivered and saved them from Egyptian slavery. 6. believing in false gods (). Note what the people requested of Aaron: that he make them an image of some god who would guide them to the promised land of Canaan.

6. believing in false gods (). Note what the people requested of Aaron: that he make them an image of some god who would guide them to the promised land of Canaan.

4. disobeying God's commandments (). 5. believing deliverance is of man not God (). 6. believing in false gods ().

Believing in false gods and worshipping idols

8. false worship (). When Aaron saw so many people following and turning to the false god as their savior and guide, he apparently knew he was in trouble.

Note, the people credited Moses with having delivered and saved them from Egyptian slavery.

Note what the people requested of Aaron: that he make them an image of some god who would guide them to the promised land of Canaan.

9. indulging in food, drink, partying, and illicit sex (). The festival got out of hand.

7. giving in to and fearing the crowd (). 8. false worship (). 9. indulging in food, drink, partying, and illicit sex ().

Aaron gave in to the crowd and caused a terrible, terrible sin.

When Aaron saw so many people following and turning to the false god as their savior and guide, he apparently knew he was in trouble.

The festival got out of hand

The festival got out of hand

God Is Trying to Tell You Something, Jesus Christ’s role as the good shepherd

Tell You Something

Jesus Christ’s role as the good shepherd

He has compassion for the helpless , ;

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Matthew 9:36 (ESV) — 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

(ESV) — 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

(ESV) — 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

(ESV) — 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

(ESV) — 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

He seeks lost sheep (, ; ; ;

Matthew 18:12–14 (ESV) — 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

(ESV) — 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

(ESV) — 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

(ESV) — 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

(ESV) — 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

(ESV) — 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

(ESV) — 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

He knows his own sheep (, ; )

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John 10:14–15 (ESV) — 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

(ESV) — 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

(ESV) — 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

(ESV) — 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

(ESV) — 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

His sheep know his voice (, ; ; ; )

John 10:4 (ESV) — 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

(ESV) — 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

(ESV) — 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

(ESV) — 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

(ESV) — 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

(ESV) — 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

(ESV) — 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

He provides for and protects his sheep (, )

John 10:9 (ESV) — 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

(ESV) — 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

See also

(ESV) — 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

He lays down his life for his sheep (, ; ; )

John 10:11 (ESV) — 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

(ESV) — 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

(ESV) — 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

(ESV) — 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

(ESV) — 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

(ESV) — 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

In 1985 a movie was produced by Steve Spielberg, “The Color Purple”, starring Whoopi Goldberg as Celie. She was searching for fulfillment in a world that was closed to her. She endured cruelty by overcoming it by love. She experienced so much pain but eclipsed it by joy.

At the end of the movie, time had caught up with all the major players. On a Sunday afternoon many of them had gathered to the local club (the juke joint) singing and dancing. At that time the church down the road was having its Sunday services. The preacher was preaching. But the juke joint music was disturbing the church service. It was overwhelming.

The choir started singing “God Is Trying to Tell You Something”, “God Is Trying to Tell You Something”. When you can’t sleep at night, and you wondered why, maybe “God Is Trying to Tell You Something”. You cried all night long, something has gone wrong, maybe “God Is Trying to Tell You Something”. If I were you, I would say, ‘speak Lord, speak to me.

“Today, if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.