Sermon: Tuning Into God’s Voice
Sermon Outline
Topic: / Discerning God’s VoiceMain Point: / God’s tone is one of love and peace
Intended Response: / Spend time listening to God voice
Key Verse: / “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me”
-John 10:27
Outline
- As a foundation we must believe God Speaks
His voice is:
- Constant (Gen 1:3, Col 1:16-7)
- Heard in nature (Rom 1,Gen 3:8, Psa 19:1-4)
- Revealed in the Bible (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:21)
- Promised to us with the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:2, Rom 8:14)
- Understood in the community of the church (Acts 15:28)
Point One: God is always speaking to us
- God’s voice has a distinct tone
God’s speaks with a distinct tone of peace (Jn 14:27)
The tone of the God’s voice is love (Jn 3:16).
Point Two: God’s speaks in the distinct tones of peace and love
- God speaks in soft whispers
To hear God’s voice we need to lean and get close to Him
God whispers to draw us close to himself
Point Three: The softness of God’s tone requires us to remain close to Him
Teaching Illustration: TonesTeaching illustrations are already included throughout the sermon to help communicate your message.
Additional examples may include:
- Parents can often identify the sound of their child’s in a crowded full of noise. It is because they intimately know their child’s voice and tone.
- How many times have been in a busy café or shopping centre and heard a song you like. Familiar songs can cut through all the ambient noise. It is the same with God’s voice.
- In terms of props, you could place some radios, or a T.V antenna near the pulpit to reinforce the idea of tuning in.
Sermon: Tuning in to God’s Voice
SermonTranscript
Introduction / Good morning everyone, welcome to Church.Today I would like to share a message on tuning into God’s voice. You may or may not have thought about the concept that God actually speaks to us?That He has a voice is willing to communicate to us.
Hearing God’s voice is important for us as we all need His help and guidance in this life. It’s my prayer that this message will help you along on your journey.
The Bible says ‘When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak ‘(Jn 16:13)
Insert an example of when God’s Spirit prompted you or you felt led by the Lord in a specific situation(e.g. making a decision, hearing your call to an Officership…)
Transition / To begin with, there is one foundational truth we must get settled in our heart, and that is God is always speaking
1. God speaks / 1) His voice is constant (Col 1:16-7, Gen 1:3)
- In Col 1:16-17 we learn that Jesus holds all things together.
- The very voice from Gen 1:3 continues today, without the eternal spoken word of God the very fabric of the world would cease to exist – God’s voice is continually spoken.
- Rom 1:20 tells us God’s invisible qualities are revealed clearly to us
- God’s character is not invisible to us
- God’s nature is revealed in nature
- God put Adam in a garden not in a house (Gen 3:8). When was the last time you went out walking with God? Can I encourage you to go on a prayer walk this week and spend some time with God outdoors
- One of the central teaching themes of God is that he is a gardener
- As we look at nature we begin to see our invisible God as visible
¹God’s splendour is a tale that is told, His testament is written in the stars. Through the marvels of the heavens. His truth is on tour in the starry-vault of the sky, Showing His skill in creation’s craftsmanship.²Each day echoes its secret to the next, Night with night sharing its revelation-knowledge.³Without a sound, without a word, Without a voice being heard, ⁴Yet all the world can see its story, Everywhere its gospel Is clearly read so all may know.
3) His voice can be heard as we read the Bible(2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:21)
4) His voice is promised to us with the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:2, Rom 8:14)
5) His voice can be heard and understood in the community of the church (Acts 15:28)
Point 1 / God is always speaking to us
Transition / The question remains, if God is speaking, how do tune in and discern His voice?
2. God’s voice has a distinct tone / We need to listen out for His distinct tone
When Jesus spoke to His disciples regarding the Holy Spirit, He said
- The Spirit would speak to them (Jn 16:13)
- The tone of Holy Spirit’s voice is one of peace (Jn 14:27)
One of the keys in discerning God’s voice is to understand God uses a distinctive tone
Read John 10:3-5
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
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T / For sheep out in the fields of Israel, the nights are very cold and particularly dangerous for sheep. There are all kinds of threats: jackals, hyenas, poisonous spiders, snakes, and robber. All of which seek to kill, steal, or destroy sheep.
To protect his flock at night time, Shepherds would corral their sheep into a makeshift sheepfold. These are commonly at the far end of a canyon where a low stonewall created a natural enclosure that would fit a large number of sheep.
The shepherd wouldplace bushes at the entrance to stop the sheep wandering out, or perhaps, if he were a good shepherd, he would sleep at the opening becoming a type of security door for them.
It was very common for multiple shepherds with different flocks to share these sheepfolds at night.
In the morning, the shepherds would go and stand in different parts of the field and call out his flock using a unique sound or phrase or tune. Though sheep cannot understand words, they can discern and in turn follow the unique tones and the timbers of their shepherd’s voice.
Context Point:
The sheep follow not because of His words – but because of His distinct tone.
The tone of God’s voice is one of love (Jn 14:27)
God’s love draws people into relationship with Him.
We need to remind ourselves of this when sharing our faith.The wordswe use can be right but if the tone is wrong,it can create barriers for others.
How many of us know of stories of people who have heard the right words that describe the Christian faith but have put off because they have felt condemned or intimidated by the tones of how it was presented. (insert a positive example of aconversation story)
POINT 2: / God’s speaks in thedistinct tonesof peace and love
Transition / So God speaks, calls out to us, and has a unique tone.
ButI have found that God’s voice often comes to us at the volume of a whisper.
Have you ever wondered why that is?
3. God speaks in soft whispers / Why does God speaks in soft whispers?
The answer is found in 1 Kings 19:11.
Elijah had just called down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel and is now spending time with God at Mt Horeb (which is another name for Mt Sinai).God’s presence is clearly with him, just like it was when Moses went up Mt Sinai God to receive the Ten Commandments (Exo 19).
There was fire, a thunderous wind, and an earthquake, but
afterthe fire came a gentle whisper.
The thing about a whisper is …. the tone changes … and we have to lean in to hear it.
You may lean in to God through prayer, or reading your Bible, or being involved in one of our programs or outreaches. We may also lean by pausing in the midst of a busy day and just reflecting of God’s goodness and kindness towards us.
To lean in is too get close to God.
That’s what God wants: closeness: that’s what God desires – for his children to be close to Him. When we are close to God, when we lean in, we hear His voice.
God whispers to draw us close to himself.
POINT3: / (drop your voice to a whisper)
The softness of God’s tone requires us to remain close to Him
Conclusion / As we close, may I encourage all of us here today to set aside some time this week to intentionally lean into God, to get close to Him, and listen to what He may say to us.
Invitation / If you are not a Christian here today, or have struggles to hear the Lord’s voice, I invite you, just where you are, to open up your heart and pray this prayer with us all here today.
Close / Closing prayer…
Father God, we know you love us with an unquenchable love. That you are continually calling out to us with tones of love to draw us close to you.
Father, we pray that this week, you would help us make time for you to hear your voice, that we may be strengthened in our inner man so we can carry out your work in the communities around us.
Let your peace guide us, let our ears hear your whispers, and let us share your voice with others around us – Amen.
Sermon: Tuning in to God’s Voice
Scripture References
John 16:13
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak
Col 1:16-7
16For in him all things were created:things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;all things have been created through him and for him.17He is before all things,and in him all things hold together.
Gen 1:3
3And God said,“Let there be light,” and there was light.
Romans 1:20
20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made,so that people are without excuse.
Gen 3:8
8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of theLordGod as he was walkingin the garden in the cool of the day, and they hidfrom theLordGod among the trees of the garden.
Psalm 19:1-4
¹God’s splendor is a tale that is told,His testament is written in the stars.Space itself speaks His story every day. Through the marvels of the heavens.His truth is on tour in the starry-vault of the sky,Showing His skill in creation’s craftsmanship.²Each day echoes its secret to the next,Night with night sharing its revelation-knowledge. ³Without a sound, without a word,Without a voice being heard,⁴Yet all the world can see its story,Everywhere its gospelIs clearly read so all may know.
2 Tim 3:16
16All Scripture is God-breathedand is useful for teaching,rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2 Pet 1:21
21For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from Godas they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:2
2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the workto which I have called them.”
Rom 8:14
14For those who are led by the Spirit of Godare the children of God.
Acts 15:28
28It seemed good to the Holy Spiritand to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements
John 10:3-5
3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 10:27
27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,and they follow me.
I Kings 19:11-12
11TheLordsaid, “Go out and stand on the mountainin the presence of theLord, for theLordis about to pass by.”Then a great and powerful windtore the mountains apart and shatteredthe rocks before theLord, but theLordwas not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but theLordwas not in the earthquake.12After the earthquake came a fire,but theLordwas not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
John 15:15
15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Romans 8:14-15
14For those who are led by the Spirit of Godare the children of God.15The Spirityou received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
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Written by Christopher Trodden B.A (Bib.Stud)