- Someone Who Will Listen
- Someone Who Will Listen (pt 2)
- A Heart that Loves Him
- People Who Seek Truth
Read at beginning of service:
Psalms 14:2 (NIV)
2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
INTRODUCTION
Today is the first message in a series I?m going to be sharing with you over a few Sundays called, “What God really wants”. My motivation for doing this series isn?t to give you a “to do” list that will help you get “in” with God. I?m not setting out to present you with a list of “keys” to God?s favor so you can receive what you really want! No, my motivation for this series of messages comes out of a heart that wonders what the desires of my King are? What is it that moves the heart of Jesus? What causes the Father to take notice of something? And these questions I ask aren?t questions asked from a distance but from up close ? I love my Lord and I want to know Him better ? “What brings you joy Lord?” There is no better place to find the answers to these questions than in the place of intimate prayer (conversation with God) and study of God?s Word. In fact, as I pondered this question, “What God really wants?” certain things began to leap off the pages of scripture as God lovingly opened up His heart and spoke in the quiet voice of His to me. I hope to share some of this with you. In doing so, some of you may be able to say amen as God has revealed the same things to you through your relationship with Him ? some of you may hear it for the first time. To be honest, I don?t know how many messages this series is going to be and I doubt that I?ll fully discover everything that would answer this question (and there?s no particular sequence to these messages) ? but I do know this ? God wants us to discover the answer to this question. I?ve also come to realize this ? as you earnestly seek to discover the heart of God and what moves Him you start to yearn for His presence more and more ? in fact my perspective on a lot of the things I?ve wanted have been subtly changing as He reveals more of what He wants to me. So friends, keep in mind I ask this question not from an analytical standpoint but from a relationship perspective ? “Lord, what do you really want?”
It?s interesting because in John 6 we find a similar kind of question posed by the people of that day. They asked Jesus,
John 6:28 (NIV)
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
A good question of course, but on closer look it sounds kind of cold. To give perspective to this question we have to understand a bit of events surrounding it?s asking. These people were part of the crowd that had received the miraculous provision of the miracle of 5 barley loaves and 2 fish. They witnessed Jesus bless that food and then his disciples distributed it to at least 5000 people leaving 12 baskets of leftovers! Certainly it was an astonishing miracle and the people realized that God was at work through Jesus. In fact, they started to conspire amongst themselves to have Jesus declared as their King (probably with the hope of overthrowing the hated Roman occupiers). But before they could do that Jesus withdrew from them. The next morning the people realized that Jesus was not with them and set out for the opposite shore to see if they could find him. The scriptures reveal that Jesus knew the motives of the crowds well, for when they arrived he said,
John 6:26-27 (NIV)
26 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
Then they asked, what must we do to do the works God requires? In other words?what?s the bare minimum? It?s a question asked from a distance not from up close. A question asked by hungry bellies and selfish cravings not a starving heart. Jesus said, “You?re looking for me not to know more about me but because of what you can get from me.” It?s sad that this same question is asked by so many people today. In fact, even sadder that the behavior and attitude of the majority of today?s Christians speak that same question. I too have been guilty of asking simply, “What is it you require Lord?” “What do I need to do to earn your favor so I can get what I want or what I need?” “What is the minimum you need for me to get “in” on your good books?”
Well to those people by the shore of Galilee then and to us today asking the same question Jesus gives the answer,
John 6:29 (NIV)
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Indeed that is the correct answer. All that God requires of us is to believe in Jesus. To believe that He is the Son of God. To believe that He died for us and that He rose again. You can do just that and be certain of salvation and a place in heaven. But I wonder, certainly that is the requirement of God ? it fulfills the minimum for entry into his kingdom ? but is it really a true picture of what God wants? The question, “What is that God requires?” is fundamentally different from “What is that God wants?” because of these distinctions: The first is motivated by what God can do, the second is motivate by wanting to know the one who does it; The first is asked by someone looking for an escape, the second is asked by someone wanting something better; The first is asked out of heart that doesn?t want to get too close, the second is queried by a heart that longs to please the one it loves; the first asked because of the reward, the second is asked regardless of the reward.
Let me put it this way, ladies ? if before you were married your husband had of come up to you and said, “Hi, I?m just wondering ? what is the bare minimum I have to do so that you?ll marry me?” how interested would you have been in him! No, for most of you (I hope) you married your spouse because they weren?t just interested in the bare minimum but were wondering what you really wanted! Unfortunately, far too often for most couples after the ceremony the bare minimum is done to maintain the marriage.
Have you ever wondered what God really wants? Well today we?re going to look at the first thing I believe God really wants and that is someone who will listen. There it is folks, God actually wants people to listen to Him! In fact in the midst of that passage I was sharing with you Jesus says this,
John 6:45 (MSG)
?Anyone who has spent any time at all listening to the Father, really listening and therefore learning, comes to me to be taught personally ? to see it with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears from me, since I have it firsthand from the Father.
God spoke this through the prophet Isaiah?
Isaiah 55:2 (NIV)
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Why does God want people to listen to Him?
Why does God really want people to turn their ear to Him?
Because?
1. ?He loves us.
What is the greatest way that the being with limitless power and who is boundless by time could demonstrate his holiness, justice, grace and love? Certainly He wouldn?t need to do so ? but something in His very nature compels Him to. Well in Genesis we learned that God created a world populated by creatures and organic life and then created man. What is significant is that God created man with a free will to choose whether to love God or not! That was the greatest way that God could demonstrate His holiness, justice and love. In the story of creation we are given insight into the heart of God who loved man so much that He game them a choice on whether or not to love Him back. From the very beginning in giving that choice God was really hoping that Man would listen to Him! He hoped that Adam and Even would heed his words when He told them not to eat of the one tree in the garden of Eden. He was hoping that they would listen to His voice over the voice of temptation. Friends some might argue, well if God was so loving then why would he give them a commandment not to eat of that tree in the garden? The significance in the commandment is that the tree represented a choice between being with God or being separate from Him. Without the tree there would be no choice.
God sent Moses to be the agent of delivery for the Israelites enslaved to the Egyptians because He loved them ? and He wanted them to listen.
He came Himself in human flesh as Jesus because He loved the world (John 3:16) ? and the Father said of the Son at His baptism in the Jordan river,
Matthew 17:5b (NIV)
?”This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
Jesus revealed Himself to John as recorded in the book of Revelations because He loved the church and declared to the seven churches in Revelations 2-3,
Revelation 2:7 (NLT)
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches?”
Because He loves His creation God wants His creation to listen to Him. As you read through the Bible there are numerous times where God says, “Listen!” The fact is God loves us and He has so much He wants to say ? He?s looking for someone who will listen.
Parents hope and long for their children to listen to them ? because they love them! I catch myself frequently saying to my children when I have something important to say ? something I want them to understand ? something they need to hear, “Are you listening?” And it pains me when I know they aren?t because I love them so much.
Friends when you listen to some one you are ?
PAYING ATTENTION – in other words you?re communicating, “What you are saying to me is really important to me.”
SHOWING AFFECTION ? in other words you?re communication, “YOU deserve my attention!”
You can be hearing what someone is saying but not really listening! Have you ever been talking to someone and it?s quite obvious that their mind is somewhere else? How did you feel? How about this: Have you ever had the television on and your reading or doing something else ? you hear the television but you?re really not listening to it ? but then something catches your eye or something is said that strikes you odd and you stop what you are doing and then you pay attention?.that?s the difference between hearing and listening.
Friends, God doesn?t want us to just hear Him?He wants us to listen! But also remember, He doesn?t want us to listen to Him because He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords or even because He created us (although those are important reasons for us to want to listen to Him). God wants us to listen to Him because He loves us. Let?s picture the difference this way. Let?s say there?s a group of young people out on a rock climbing expedition ? all novices ? this is the first time they?ve been out to a rock face. They?ve had instruction indoors and have learned different climbing techniques and ways to tie the ropes and other important facets about the climb. As they approach rock wall the leader turns to them and says, “Now I want you to listen to me carefully?” and begins to repeat some of the critical things the young climbers have to remember. Now the leader could be wanting them to listen for any number of reasons ? because he?s the guy in charge, he has responsibility for the kids in the group, he could lose his job if anyone got seriously hurt, he want?s to look good as people in the group succeed, and yes he?s concerned about their safety. But let?s change the picture a bit. Let?s say the leader of this group is the Dad and the young people are his children. When he says, “Now I want you to listen to me carefully?” what do you think is the primary motivation of the father saying that to His children? It is love ? and that?s the difference.
God wants us to listen because He loves us, and because He loves us,
2. ?He wants what?s best for us.
What God wants to speak is never irrelevant or unimportant ? what He speaks is life! His blessing hinges on whether one is willing to listen or not. Friends what?s best for us is God?s blessing! And as I say that let me clarify something ? God?s blessing involves His presence with us. God?s curse involves our abandoning Him. Everything God does when we abandon Him is designed to bring us back to Him but God will always leave the choice up to us.
- God has incredible knowledge and wisdom and blessings he is waiting to grant on the one who listens ? that can only be experienced by the listener!
King Solomon early in his reign understood this. He received great wisdom from God that helped Him become one of the most well known and powerful Kings in all of Israel?s history. Wisdom that came from listening to God. In the book of Proverbs ? a collection of writings Solomon is thought to be the major contributing author of ? chapter 8 begins by saying this,
Proverbs 8:1 (NLT)
Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!
The book of Solomon makes wisdom a character and is really a reference to the wisdom that comes from God. He goes on to say,
Proverbs 8:6 (NLT)
Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you. Everything I say is right,
And then,
Proverbs 8:32 (NLT)
And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful
God has his wisdom available to those who would listen.
To the Israelites in the desert God said this,
Exodus 15:26 (NIV)
?If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”
God wanted the Israelites to listen to Him because He loved them and because He had so many blessings that He wanted to give them (that hinged on their listening to Him). He also wanted them to avoid the curses that accompany those who abandon God.
Later on when the Israelites had camped around Mount Sinai and Moses had finished teaching them the law that God had spoken to Moses for His people to follow. Moses said this,
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV)
19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
God wants us to listen to Him because He is the source of life and He wants us to have life! I believe God is pained by the refusal of those who won?t listen to Him. Again, not because of His position but because of His love! God wants what?s best for us! He has incredible wisdom, knowledge and blessings he is waiting to grant to those who listen.
- God wants to lead and guide His people into their purpose and experience the good things that will bring.
Jesus likens this desire of God to the example of sheep following their shepherd,
John 10:3-5 (NIV)
3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
?
John 10:27-28 (NIV)
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
Jesus Himself modeled the fruit of listening to the Father.
John 5:19 (NIV)
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
?
John 12:50 (NIV)
50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
God wants us to listen to Him so we can have the same direction and power in our life that Jesus did. He can see the outcome of all the optional choices you make, all the possible things you say, all the potential actions you do. And as God sees that He wants you to make the right choice, say the best thing, do the appropriate action and so He hopes, He wants you to choose to listen to Him!
He doesn?t want you to be away from Him, He doesn?t want you to have fruitless and directionless lives. But that is what we will have if we fail to listen to Him.
So that is Why God wants us to listen to Him but there?s another verse that leapt out at me as I considered this.
Luke 8:18 (NIV)
18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”
I?ve read this verse many times but this took on special significance this time because I was hearing the Spirit say that God really wants us to listen to Him. And then the first part of this verse really stuck out. Jesus said, “Consider carefully HOW you listen. Whoah. There?s another important insight here but? I?m going to save that for next week! Next week I?m going to talk about the fact that How we listen to God is important?