How Do We Listen?
The sermon highlights the problem of unbelief and how people often deny hearing God's voice, but ultimately, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the various ways God has spoken to humanity, yet many fail to recognize His voice, often dismissing it as mere noise or misunderstanding. He reflects on the biblical account where Jesus speaks of His impending death, and the crowd misinterprets God's audible response, preferring their own reasoning over divine revelation. Tozer warns that despite the tendency to ignore God's call, a day will come when all will acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. The sermon challenges listeners to truly listen for God's voice amidst their distractions and misconceptions.
Text
The living God has spoken to lost mankind in a variety of ways. The general response among us has been, "We did not hear His voice. We did not hear anything." John recorded in his gospel the reactions of an audience of people who heard God speak audibly. When Jesus talked of His coming death, asking God to glorify His name through it, "a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and will glorify it again':" (John 12:28). And what were the reactions of the bystanders? "The crowd that was there heard it and said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him" (John 12:29). People prefer their own logic, their own powers of reason. even when God speaks, they refuse to recognize His voice.
They will not confess that God has spoken through Jesus Christ, the eternal Son.
When He confronts them with their sin, they consult a psychiatrist and hope they can get their personalities "properly adjusted." But in a coming day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all!
Sermon Outline
- I. God's Voice in the World
- A. God has spoken in various ways to humanity
- B. People often deny hearing His voice
- II. The Reactions of the Crowd
- A. Some thought it was thunder
- B. Others thought it was an angel
- III. The Problem of Unbelief
- A. People prefer their own logic and reason
- B. They refuse to recognize God's voice in Jesus Christ
- IV. The Coming Day of Confession
- A. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord
Key Quotes
“But in a coming day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all!” — A.W. Tozer
“People prefer their own logic, their own powers of reason. even when God speaks, they refuse to recognize His voice.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Recognize God's voice in Jesus Christ and acknowledge His authority.
- Do not rely solely on human reason and logic, but be open to God's voice.
- Prepare for the coming day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord.