CHURCH

LUTHERAN

Our Savior's of Elderon

16th Sunday After Pentecost               I.N.I.                      I Samuel 3:1-10

            Back in the days when the telegraph was the fastest means of long distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse Code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper he went to the address listed. When he arrived there he entered a large, busy, noisy office. You could hear the sound of the telegraph in the background. A sign on the receptionist desk instructed job applicants to fill out a form and then wait until they were called to the inner office.

            The young man filled out the form and sat down with 7 other applicants to wait. A few minutes later the young man stood up, walked across the room and entered the inner office.  Naturally the other applicants perked up and wondered what was going on. They muttered among themselves that they hadn’t heard anyone get called to the inner office. They assumed that the young man went in by mistake and would never get the job.

            Within few minutes the employer escorted the young man out of the office and said to the other applicants; “Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the position has been filled.” One of the applicants spoke up and said; “Wait a minute! I don’t understand! He was the last one in and the rest of us never even got an interview. Yet he gets the job. That’s just not fair!”

            The employer said: “I’m sorry, but all the time you have been sitting here, the telegraph has been tapping out the following message in Morse Code. ‘If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.’” None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did! The job is his!

            We live in a busy world filled with chatter and clatter and all kinds of noise. People are often distracted and don’t hear the still, small voice of God as he speaks to them. What about you? Are you tuned in to God’s voice? Do you hear him when he speaks to you? Are you listening? Today, we’re going to study the subject,

HOLY HEADPHONES; HOW CAN I HEAR GOD’S VOICE

            We will see exactly how God speaks to us so you can hear him when he speaks to you. John writes in his Gospel: “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is because you do not belong to God.”

            I’m sure that by the end of the sermon today you’ll be more aware of the times when God spoke to you in the past and be more aware of when God speaks to you in the future.

            The first thing you need to do to hear God’s voice is tune in to it. You can’t listen to 95 oldies if you don’t tune in to it. You can’t listen to 103 country if you don’t tune your radio in to it. So also you can’t hear God’s voice unless you’re tuned in to him.

            Our text for today says 1 Samuel 3:1-10; 1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.  2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.  3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.  4 Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am."  5 And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.  6 Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."  7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.  8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.  9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.  10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

            Little Sammy was lying in the temple. The candles are still lit. It’s about 2 or 3 in the morning and Sammy can’t get to sleep. His head is probably spinning from all he learned that day.  You see Samuel was only about 8 or 9 years old and lived with Eli, the priest. His mother had dedicated him to the Lord when he was a baby. So it was that Samuel grew up learning first-hand what a priest does.

            So here’s little Sammy trying to get some rest and suddenly he hears somebody call his name.  He goes to Eli and says; “Here I am! What do you want?” And Eli’s says; “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.”  So Sammy goes back to bed and the same thing happens again. He hears someone call his name. So he goes to Eli again and  Eli says; “It wasn’t me.” So Samuel goes back to bed again. Sure enough, the same thing happens a 3rd time. But this time Eli catches on that it’s God calling Samuel. So Eli gives Sammy some instructions on listening to God. So Samuel goes back to bed and then hears the voice of God. But this time he listens to what God has to say.

            At first Samuel didn’t know what was going on. He thought Eli was calling him. He wasn’t tuned into God. The Bible says: “The Word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.”  If Samuel had been tuned into God he would have known that God was speaking to him. He would have heard God’s instructions!

            So how about you? Are you tuned in to God? Can you tell when he’s speaking to you?

            A Native American and his friend were downtown New York City, walking near Time Square in Manhattan.  It was during lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Car horns were honking, taxi-cabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing and the sounds of the city were almost deafening.

            Suddenly the Native American said; “I hear a cricket.” His friend said; “What! You must be crazy! You couldn’t possibly hear a cricket in all this noise.” “No, I’m sure I heard a cricket,” said the Native American. “That’s crazy,” answered his friend.

            The Native American listened carefully for a moment, he then walked across the street to  big planter  with several shrubs growing in it. He looked around the bushes and under the branches and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was amazed! “That’s incredible, I could never hear a cricket in all this noise” he said. “You must have superhuman ears. “No,” said the Native American. “My ears are no different from yours.” “But that can’t be,” said the friend. “Yes, it’s true,” said the Native American. It all depends on what you’re listening for.

            Here, let me show you!  He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins and discretely dropped them on the sidewalk.  And then, with all the noise of the crowded street blaring in their ears, they noticed that every head within 20 ft. turned to see if the money that landed on the pavement was theirs. “See what I mean,” said the Native American. “It all depends on what you’re listening for.”

            If you’re tuned in to God it doesn’t matter what’s going on around you.  You can still hear him speak to you. Ok, so now you want to tune in to God.  What station is he on?  How can you hear him? Tune in to WGOD.

            In the Old Testament we see different ways God speaks to certain people. Like when God and Adam we just relaxing in the Garden shooting the breeze. Or when God spoke to Noah and told him to build a huge boat. Or when God spoke to Abraham and told him he could have all the land he could set his foot on. Or how about when he spoke to Moses through the burning bush. Or, even in the New Testament when he spoke to Mary through the angel and told her she was going to have a baby. Or when Paul saw the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus and heard him speak.

                        Looking at these examples it’s easy to think, “I sure wish God would speak to me like that.” But do you realize what would happen if God did that? We’d be scared to death!  A lot of people think that God should speak to us through signs or burning bush experiences. But that’s not really how God speaks to us today.

            Think about it! Imagine you’re driving down the road and you pull in to a rest area.  All of a sudden you see a huge tree on fire. It’s just burning away but it’s not getting black, there are no ashes, just burning and glowing. You’re thinking, “What’s with that?”  Then the tree starts talking to you. “Hey Eve, hey Mattie, what’s up? Come here, I’ve got something I want to tell you. But take your shoes off first.” If that were to happen, you’d probably high-tail it back to your car and race out of there as fast as you could.

            Or, let’s say you’re walking down the hall of the mall looking at the different stores. Suddenly a bright flash of light knocks you down.  Then a booming voice that sounds like Jesus says Ebony, Ebony, why are you persecuting me?” You see the light and hear the voice, but no one else sees or hears anything.

            God doesn’t reveal himself to us like that today.  But he does still speak to us. In Ephesians 4:11, 12 we read; 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,  12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

            Every time you sit in a service like this you’re hearing from God. He speaks through his Word which I, as your pastor speak to you.  Listen to Psalm 119 verse 105; “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”    You listen to God by reading and hearing his written Word. Through his Word he calls you to repent of your sins and change your way of life. He is calling you to faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior. He is calling you to read and hear his Word where you will learn his will for your life. Through his Word he leads you and guides you, and strengthens you for life in this world. Through his Word he calls you to come to his house to worship him, to praise him and to follow him. In his Word he calls you to live a life of obedience, a life of love for him. He’s calling you to believe that Jesus really suffered and died as punishment for your sins; so you can be forgiven, so you can enjoy eternity in heaven with him.

            In his Word God tells us of the horrible consequences of our sin. But he also speaks of our Savior, his only Son, who came to earth in human flesh to die so we could live. In his Word he creates and strengthens our faith. And it is by faith we receive all the blessings Christ won for us, forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

            In Romans 9:11; “I speak the truth in Christ-- I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit.” Have you heard  the still, small voice? It’s God the Holy Spirit living in you by faith speaking to your spirit. For example; you’re thinking about doing something or going somewhere and the little voice says; wait, or not just yet or stop.

            One day a father was getting ready to leave for work. He walked around his car to make sure it was all clear to back out of the driveway. He didn’t see anything so he got in the car, put his foot on the brake, started the car and put it in reverse. But then something told him to stop. He puts the car in park and waits. Just then in his left side mirror he sees a tiny head peeking around the back of the car. It’s his little boy. If he hadn’t listened to that still, small voice he would have backed over his son.

            God also speaks to us through the storms of life. We face frustrations, disappointments, job loss, financial difficulties, sickness, sorrow, death and the list goes on. Through all those things God is speaking to us. He is trying to get our attention, trying to get us to listen to him. 

            God speaks to us through his written and spoken Word, through the Holy Spirit in you by faith, and through your conscience and through the storms of life. So chances are you’ve had plenty of opportunities to hear God’s voice at some point or other. The question is, are you listening?

            The Bible tells us that believers, the sheep do listen. We read in John 10:3-4; “…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.” 

            What if all the sheep herd the shepherd’s voice except for a couple who were off doing their own thing? Well, the next thing you know the rest of the sheep are gone and the 2 stragglers are stuck by themselves. Because sheep are dumb they can’t find the way by themselves.  The flock was just up the road over the hill. But the 2 sheep would be lost until the shepherd comes looking for them.

            What happened to the sheep? They didn’t listen to the shepherd when he said; “follow me to water.” They were distracted!  There could be a number of things that are distracting you from listening to our Shepherd. Perhaps it’s some sin in your life, something you don’t want to let go of. Or maybe it’s just that you’ve got a totally different agenda for your life.   Maybe you’re worried about something, maybe you’re just too busy, maybe you’ve got too many things going on in your life to realize God is trying to speak to you.

            In order to hear God clearly you’ve got to get rid of the distractions in life. You have to be so tuned in to WGOD that no interference can cut in. Sometimes when you’re listening to the radio in the car the station starts to fade away. The reason is you’re getting too far away from the source. Well, if you’re experiencing interference trying to listen to God it could be you’ve moved to far away from the source. So drop what you’re doing and draw close to God.

            How do you do that? How do you get those holy headphones on and hear his voice?  Tune in to his Word, hear it, read it, learn it. Practice listening to him when you hear and read his Word. Listen to it and ask yourself; “What is God telling me here?” Pray to God, reflect on his Word. Psalm 46:10 says: “Be still and know that I am God.”  Amen