How many of you ever heard your voice echo back to you from a cave or tunnel? Sounds weird, but fascinating. But if you are the right place, your voice is rather distinct and clear. I think this demonstrates a profound statement that even if we hear with our heart or ears, what are we listening to? In titling the message today, “Are we listening to the good news,” we will be looking at what should we be hearing with our Godly ears.
Who likes to be around somebody who talks all the time? Its always about themselves! Claims to always be right! And at the end of the conversation, they have to have the last say! Not certain if you realize it, but each of us know a person like that, and guess what His name is? Jesus! Jesus loves to talk and is always readily to listen. He gives us the statements of His word, that has proven to always be correct and never in error. At the end of conversations or His actions, Jesus has the last word to all eternity that is both fulfilling and is designed with His purpose and plan for each of us. The truly frightening aspect of this, is we have faith and hope that he will keep talking to everyone on earth, refusing to be stumped by our lousy listening. Thank God for that!
Throughout history, people of all races, ages and sexes, have stepped upon the platform in many places, in spite of the many impediments that would hinder them, they take their role in Christ’s great drama of salvation with no justification for their performance other than the good news they have heard, which transformed them, and millions of others—even to the point of death! What power could we even come close to experiencing Gods words if it wasn’t for Gods never-ending ability to speak to us, His creation! Even if we choose not to listen to God, His own creation declares who he is. The heavens tell of the glory of God; And their expanse declares the work of His hands. So again, What are we listening too? Is it the good news that is wholesome, uplifting, true, or something else?
Christmas is upon us, and unlike other holidays, its most profound in our culture to re-learn what family is, and being exposed to memorable and positive things, like singing Christmas carols, decorating your home with uplifting and color scenery, watching tv shows like Rudolph, frosty, A Christmas carol, and many other things. But the more you think about it, how did we get to this point in our journey if it wasn’t for words that we read or listened to, which not only had a positive impact, but a life changing story? What affect would it be upon us if our bible today wasn’t wrote down, but only memorized and handed down. Its likely our memory would fail us, if not for God to help us. Yet, the words we read and listen too is far more important than we give credit to. Scripture tells us, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Gods word not only created all things, including us, but Gods word done something very special, it became flesh!
Listen to the Gospel of John Chapter 1. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind... And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
As we read and study of the days of Jesus, we learn in scripture, that in order to see who Jesus is and was, we must first go through the prophet John the Baptist. John had a job to do, and according to scripture he was to ‘Prepare the way of the Lord!’ The Gospel of Matthew begins with the story of Jesus, but then jumps right into the first sermon given to the nation of Israel in decades, proclaiming the Good News of our Lord. I would like for you to remember, before Jesus even came in the picture, before John even preached his first sermon, God was silent to Israel for over 400 years. But, here came a man, dressed with a suit made of camel hair, ate locust and honey, lived in the wilderness, probably didn’t shave much, and gave his first words to the people, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “The voice of one calling out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!’”
So why this emphasis on Repenting, preparing the way of God? Well, 400 years God was silent, until the time was ready for Him to act, not just for His purpose, but for our benefit, even to date! Knowing full and certain, Israel, like us today, are far from God. Long before Jesus came into the picture, the hearts of man was failing, by losing God’s ways, listening and obeying to things not of God. Being 400 years in silence, the people listened to other things, it lead them away from God in more ways than one. The Pharisees and Sadducees was falsely given directions to the people, nearly forcing them to do ungodly thing, just to satisfy their requirements of worship.
Without hesitation, John the Baptist declared what was happening at his first insight, when he addressed the Pharisees and Sadducees, But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance; 9 and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham. 10 And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire. In Matthew 15 I am reminded when it says, “This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.” What is heard ungodly is then repeated, not realizing the heart of the matter is what are we truly listening too!
When a child comes home and does or says something you didn’t expect, you may say to yourself, “Where did you learn that from?” Don’t you think that also applies to us? What garbage are we watching, what heresy are we listening to? What gossip are we holding onto? In researching for todays message, I came across a commentary that stated that Pharisees and Sadducees actually detested each others teachings, so they normally did not attend functions together. Think about it, the leaders of the church didn’t agree with each other on the subject of God. No wonder there was problems with their hearts and ability to be Godly. It sounds much like whats in todays culture! Pride, gross misuse of authority, wrongful discernment of Gods teachings, and so much more. We are NOT LISTENING TO THE GOOD NEWS! Gods redemption of our lives through His love, mercy and grace, if we only listen! What was Johns response? You brood of vipers! John not only labeled them all, but gave them a clear depiction of what their behavior is like. They where corrupted and far from God.
In 2019, hires audio posted a article claiming amongst teenagers, music was still most popular media to date. Nearly 3 out of every 4 teenagers listen to some kind of music, or other forms of media regularly. I’m sure its much worse today! What are they listening too? What are we listening to? What takes priority in our life? What gives us something good to adhere too? Is it Gods words? Is it parents or guardians that demonstrate Godly behavior, seeing their children grow in likeness of Christ? Is it positive reinforcement of their own journey of life, that will nurture and aid them amongst the terrible monstrosities that lay waiting for them? What are we listening too, when we are ready to listen?
I’m sure you heard or read about King Herod. One thing to note about herod is that I find fitting to todays message, herod actually listened to John the Baptist! Herod regarded John as a righteous and Holy person, though Johns words confused him at times, but listen to Gospel of Mark, chapter 6, “for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he had been protecting him. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; and yet he used to enjoy listening to him.”
Even as evil as herod was, he did listen to what God was saying, but Gods words did not hinder herods decision to put Johns head on a platter. So it wasn’t Gods words that would have changed herod, it was herods heart, spirit, personal decision that would have changed things! We each can listen to the most Godly forms of music, watch the most tear jerking videos, yet our heart is not where it needs to be! But what we listen to, absolutely impacts who we are. As I stated earlier with what John said, “Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.” The proof is in the pudding per-say!
Now think about this for a moment. How did you hear the good news of Jesus in the first place? Did you tell it to yourself? No you didn’t! You heard it from someone or read it for yourself.
A Christian friends is someone daring to ‘listen’ to the truth! Truth not what the world gives, but only what God sended us. Psalm 44 tells us, “God, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have told us The work that You did in their days, In the days of old.” We learn of God through others! Through Gods light that shines brightly in us. Through the actions, words and deeds of His followers. No body is born with either chemistry or Christianity. If you want to be a chemist, you speak to someone who has knowledge of the Periodic Table of Elements until you hear and assimilate what you’ve heard. Then when you claim you are a good chemist, your saying I’m a good listener! Pauls epistle to the Romans, chapter 10 tells us, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
Are you starting to get the picture friends? Who we are as Christ’s disciples is all about what we are listening too. When we hear something, we learn from it. One vital question we should be asking ourselves, am I listening to the truth, or am I being lead down the wrong path? As Christians, we are instructed to hand over the Good news of Jesus Christ to others, by word and deed. When something else paves its way into our lives that does not edify God, we need to be cautious.
So what do we do now in listening correctly? Well let me give you a few things to ponder on.
Until we take time to be quiet, we’ll not hear God. In Gospel of John, chapter 5, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” We need to start with a conscious desire to engage Him in a personal way. Psalms 27 tells us “to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.” When we are reading His word, we are reading His mind. The main use of the Gospels is to help us see the character of God made real and personal in an understandable way. What we see Jesus doing, caring, suffering, weeping, calling, seeking, is what God is doing and has been doing all along.
This second Sunday of Advent, let us receive, reflect and respond to Gods purpose for us to listen with a Godly ear for the good news of Jesus. Let the manger pave the way over all things into your life, knowing Christ came to save, He came for us to follow. We are to listen and to obey. Gospel of Luke, chapter 11, blessed are those who hear the word of God and follow it. Amen.