---------------------
We are continuing to look at the commands of the King.
Today's command is from Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4:
Live by every word of God
This implies that God is speaking to us.
If He is speaking to us, then we must be able to hear His voice when He speaks.
We must not only hear Him, but we must listen to Him.
An example is when I have music playing while I am working. I can hear the music playing in the background, but I am not really listening to it.
But if I want to sing or play my guitar along with music, then I listen to the song so that I can understand what the lyrics are, and how the rhythm goes, and I will often try to understand what the message of the song is.
When I listen to music, it often stirs my emotions. It brings me joy and makes me want to sing and dance, and I want to share it with others so that they can listen to it also.
Merely hearing music does not do these things.
Listening to God's voice is similar. It stirs our emotions and brings us joy. Sometimes it may bring us fear because of what He wants us to do.
We might have to talk with Him more about it or talk with others about it for better understanding. Listening to Him causes us to want to share Him and what He is doing with others.
These things do not happen if we hear Him but are not really listening.
An example of this is when we read His word. We might read the words on the page, but we might be thinking about something else, so we are not paying attention to what He is saying.
In order to hear His voice, we must listen by paying attention when we read and speak with Him.
Listening implies obedience. If we are listening to God, and He commands us to go somewhere or to someone, then we must go.
If we do not go, then we are not really listening to Him because we are not being obedient. We are not following Him if we are not listening to Him or obeying Him.
The command to live by every word of the Landowner also implies that our very lives depend on His words.
If we do not listen to His words, then we will not have life.
John 17:3 says that knowing God is everlasting life and John 15 says that we must remain in Him in order to bear fruit and have life.
If we do not remain in Him, it will be possible for us to fall away from Him and lose our inheritance of life, because we will spiritually die.
God is our source for life.
John 8:47 provides a reason that someone may not be able to hear God's voice and evidence of someone being a subject of the King:
He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” - John 8:47
The following passages provide evidence of someone being a subject of King Jesus:
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. - John 10:27-28
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. - Romans 8:14
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. - I John 2:3-6
The following passage provides reasons why we must listen to God's voice:
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. - John 16:13-14
We must listen because His Spirit will guide us into all truth, telling us only what He hears from God, and what is yet to come.
The Spirit will receive the things that He will make known to us from Jesus.
(John 16:13-14)
Question: if the Landowner is speaking to us, in what ways do we hear His voice?
Taken in part from Kingdom Living: The Commands of Christ by Curtis Sergeant
--------------------
Responses from the groups:
• 5 steps to lesson
1. Hearing
2. Listening
3. Paying attention
4. Obedience
5. Sharing it with others
• Concern about being a good listener and follower.
• Analyze if I am a good follower each day based on what I did that day.
No comments:
Post a Comment