Sermon Tone Analysis

The LACK of LISTENING often Results in SUDDEN SURPRISE

Men are often accused of not listening.

Their mothers, wives, children will be speaking to them, and with the occasional “hmm”, quite nod or “yup” will attempt to indicate participation in the conversation...

The LACK of LISTENING often Results in SUDDEN SURPRISE

A husband read an article to his wife about how women use 30,000 words a day to a man’s 15,000.

The wife replied, “That’s because we have to repeat everything to men.”

The husband turned to his wife and said, “What?”

A few seconds later, as he was picking himself up from the floor, he began to understand that a lack of listening often results in a sudden surprise...

Many times we are guilty of “not listening” - a foundation for effective communication, and sadly that deaf ear is often directed at God..

For the Nation of Israel and for the Christian, the True Believer, God has been speaking all along… Through The Prophets, the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit… Listen to What He was saying to Israel in the Day of Amos:

The SACRED PLANS of the SOVEREIGN Are Made Known to the SAVED SERVANTS

When Something as Important as Earned Judgment which results in Disaster Takes Place - God Spoke Clearly to His Prophets so Israel would be WARNED

The New Testament Makes clear, “these things are written as examples...” So We also may have clarity on matters of Earned Judgment and the Disaster God brings on the FAITHLESS

Karen and I were sitting with Doris Lancaster yesterday afternoon.

Doris is the wife of Lyman, who was the Pastor at the Bethel Free Methodist Church when Karen was a little girl.

Doris & Lyman often took care of Karen when her parents were at work, and so a deep and lasting bond was established.

As we sat, Doris was reminiscing about the missions trips their church used to take to Haiti, and some missions work in the Bahamas, and we swapped stories of culture shock, meeting missionaries and some of the interesting moments in customs and with those who failed to LISTEN to the rules and instructions...

On one of the trips, a Pastor from the upper mid-west joined their team, and while they were serving they would often take the team to a leper colony.

Now, Lyman went over and over how important it was to **not** drink the water while they were there...

After they arrived, the visiting pastor, Lyman and others were sitting in the home of a dear believer in that terrible community, and she asked the pastor, “do you want anything to drink...”

He immediately replied, “oh, yes!

I am so thirsty, please, may I have a glass of water...”

At this point, Lyman began trying to get his attention, mouthing “NO” and shaking his head, so the pastor would change his mind.

The pastor actually responded out loud, “Lyman, why are you doing that?

I will be fine...”

At this point in the story, I should probably preach a separate message on Stupid, Know-it-all Pastors… but in any case, the pastor took the offered glass of water, drank it and smiled that Cheshire cat grin.... all the way through the leper colony, all the way back to where the team was staying, and about 11pm that night, back out the door to the very rudimentary bathroom facilities - where he experienced LASTING AND EARNED JUDGMENT for his FAILURE TO LISTEN..

Look at Verses 4-6 - where God asks questions that are always have clear answers… but He ends with a clear question that should prick our conscience - ESPECIALLY as followers of Jesus - “When the Ram’s Horn blows a warning, shouldn’t the People be alarmed?

Does Disaster come to a city unless the LORD has planned it?

Indeed the Sovereign LORD never does anything until He reveals His plans to His servants the prophets...

The book of Hebrews, in the New Testament opens with this statement, “God, who at various times and and in various places spoke unto the Fathers by the Prophets, has in these last days spoken to us BY HIS SON...”

BELIEVERS - the JUDGMENT OF GOD IS EVIDENT ALL AROUND US - It is time for YOU and I to begin LISTENING to JESUS OF NAZARETH and LEARNING What He Expects of us in the midst of THIS WICKED GENERATION...

Look at the REAL Problem laid out in Verse 10: “My People have forgotten How to Do Right,” Says the LORD...

It is Time for Us to GO GOD’s WAY

We are GOING GOD’S WAY not only in DIRECTION

but also with HIS PURPOSE

and FOLLOWING HIS METHODOLOGY

IF We are GOING TO GO GOD’S WAY we Must

Enter into God’s Conversation...

Listen to What God Has Said

Be Sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s Leading

Speak to Him Often in Prayer