Hearing the Voice of the Good Shepherd

Sermon Summary

The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the importance of preparing oneself to hear from God. He encourages the congregation to listen to the voice of the Shepherd, who will lead them to green pastures and still waters. The pastor urges the congregation to grow, revive, refocus, and repent in order to prepare their hearts for God's guidance. He acknowledges that there may be things that need repentance and encourages the congregation to do so, promising that God will revive their souls like never before. The pastor invites those who are seeking to hear from God to raise their hands, and leads a prayer for self-reflection and growth.

The pastor then introduces the current series, "The Voice of the Shepherd," emphasizing that God still speaks today. He highlights the importance of knowing that God desires a personal relationship with His people and that He speaks to them. The pastor acknowledges the difficulty of hearing God's voice at times and the confusion it can bring, but reassures the congregation that as born-again believers, they are part of God's flock and can hear His voice. The pastor concludes by mentioning that before delving into how God speaks through His Spirit and His word, he will address potential hindrances to hearing from God.

The pastor discusses the importance of making wise decisions and choices in life. He refers to the parable of the sower, where different results are obtained based on the condition of the soil the seed is planted in. The pastor suggests that this parable represents the heart of humanity and how the word of God is deposited in different types of hearts. He emphasizes that the condition of one's heart can hinder them from hearing God's voice, and it is important to address and deal with any issues in the heart.

The pastor then shifts the focus to the relationship between shepherds and sheep. He explains that sheep have the ability to hear and recognize the voice of their shepherd. This unique relationship allows the shepherd to call and the sheep to respond, distinguishing them from other sheep. The pastor highlights the significance of being able to hear the voice of Jesus, as mentioned in John 10. He emphasizes that by hearing and following the voice of Jesus, believers can experience the guidance and leadership of the Good Shepherd in their lives.

The pastor concludes by emphasizing the importance of spiritual maturity and growth in our relationship with the Lord. He explains that moving from "milk" to "meat" in our faith is not about how much Bible knowledge we have, but rather about how we live out the teachings of the Bible in our daily lives. The pastor challenges the congregation to take steps of growth, such as joining a small group or being baptized, even if it requires sacrificing certain comforts or overcoming excuses.

Key Takeaways

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Sermon Clips

1. "I think God's wanting to have a conversation with us and I don't think you that you really Chase evil things but I do think that you can be distracted with good things and it will cost you the best things that God has for you in your life." [22:37]

2. "If you're not intentional about being intentional with your time with the Lord can I tell you that this world is buying and grabbing for your attention and you've got to set some time aside you got to lean in you got to find your secret place put him first and allow the spirit of God to one deal with your heart because he will." [24:15]

3. "Your heart can grow callous and cold, it can grow bitter with unforgiveness and all this stuff in our heart. God is constantly speaking, but all we can think about is the wrong that was done, all we can think about is the bitterness that we have." [16:15]

4. "Maturity comes when we stop making excuses and start making changes." [30:26]

5. "He who has an ear to hear, let him hear. And could it be one of the greatest things that hinders us from hearing the voice of God is the condition of your heart." [07:03]

6. "You serve a God that still speaks today. It's important that you know that he speaks because it would be an injustice for me to stand up here as a pastor and say God desires a personal relationship with you but he won't speak to you." [01:08]

7. "The sheep have the ability, this innate ability, a trained ear to hear and to recognize the shepherd's voice." This quote emphasizes the importance of cultivating a listening ear to hear God's voice amidst the noise and distractions of the world. When we tune in to His voice, we can experience His guidance and direction in our lives. [04:42]

8. "As we prepare to hear the voice of the Shepherd, he'll lead you to Green Pastures, help you navigate beside Still Waters. We need to grow, revive, refocus, and repent. There might be some things you need to repent from, but when you do that and refocus, watch God revive your soul like never before." [35:39]

9. "If you're here today and you want to examine your heart and hear from God like never before, raise your hand. There are some serious decisions being made, and you need to hear the voice of the Lord on this. Let us do a self-reflection, a self-audit of the things in our heart, and have the courage to take a step in growth." [36:15]

10. "The gospel is not about making bad people good, it's about making dead people alive." [11:51]

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