Hearing The Voice of Christ

Q: What does the Bible say about hearing the voice of Christ?

The Bible teaches that Christ's sheep hear His voice clearly due to a new spiritual ear given by God's grace. In John 10:27, Jesus states, 'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.' This verse emphasizes the intimate relationship between Christ and His followers, who are enabled to hear His voice through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. This supernatural hearing is not merely auditory, but involves a deep understanding and recognition of His truth, unlike those outside His fold who may not perceive His voice.

Q: How do we know God's grace is essential for salvation?

God's grace is essential for salvation, as it is by grace that we are chosen and given the ability to believe. Ephesians 1:4-5 states that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, underscoring the sovereign act of His grace. It is only through this divine initiative that individuals are given a new heart and the faith necessary to respond to the gospel. Without God's grace, mankind, being spiritually dead in sin, cannot seek God or choose Him. Therefore, grace is the foundational aspect of salvation, as it demonstrates God's unmerited favor towards His elect.

Q: Why is it important to understand that Christ died for His sheep?

Understanding that Christ died for His sheep affirms the certainty of salvation for the elect who follow Him. In John 10:11, Jesus says, 'I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.' This highlights the particularity of Christ's atonement; He laid down His life specifically for those chosen by the Father. This truth provides assurance to believers that their salvation is secure because it rests not on their actions, but on the completed work of Christ for His elect. Recognizing this helps believers to cultivate a deep trust in the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and the assurance of eternal life.

Q: How does one hear the voice of the Lord today?

One hears the voice of the Lord today through the preaching of Scripture and the inner work of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 1:1-2 states that God has spoken to us in these last days through His Son. This indicates that the primary way believers hear God's voice is through the Scriptures, as they are revealed and preached by faithful ministers. Additionally, the Holy Spirit enables believers to understand and apply the truths of Scripture, providing them with a new spiritual ear. This means that true believers will perceive His voice in their hearts as they actively engage with the Word of God.

Q: What does John 15:16 teach about God's choice in salvation?

John 15:16 teaches that it is God who chooses individuals for salvation, not the other way around. In John 15:16, Jesus declares, 'You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.' This profound statement shifts the focus from human effort to divine sovereignty in the process of salvation. It emphasizes that the initiative in salvation belongs to God, as He chooses individuals according to His purpose and grace. This understanding comforts believers, knowing that their relationship with Christ is grounded in His sovereign choice rather than their own merit or decision.

It amazes me how, turn with me to John chapter 10, but it amazes me how the Lord so orders everything divinely, perfectly. I was thinking about that song we were just singing and how the Lord had so ordered my my heart to preach on what I'm planning to preach on this morning. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it and then remember that song we just sang. John chapter 10, verse 27, 28. The scripture says, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. It is the greatest joy for a believer to hear the mystery of the sovereign grace of God. That is a great mystery. There's not an ounce of difference in any man, any woman born in Adam. We all come forth from my mother's womb speaking lies. None of us are born with a heart for Almighty God. None of us.

I heard Brother Henry relate this truth. He said someone told him one time, he said, I've always loved the Lord. And Henry said, that's just a little bit too long. No, we haven't always loved the Lord. It is by the grace of God that any man, any man, Any woman has a heart for the Lord.

But I want to speak for just a few moments this morning on this subject of hearing the voice of Christ. I just read that scripture. He said, my sheep hear my voice. I read that again today, and I got to thinking about it. I said, I know this for a fact.

The sheep of God hear the voice of the shepherd. My sheep hear. My sheep perceive by the importation of a new spiritual ear that understands the communication of God. God's sheep, by God's grace, by God's power, gives his sheep a new ear, the hearing ear. It's the hearing ear. They hear. He said, my sheep hear my voice and I know them. I know them in particular. I know them eternally. I know them. And they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. And neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. You know, but even with that promise, a believer will read that verse of scripture right there, and he'll say, I know that it's so, but because of the frailty of our flesh, here's what we think.

How? How do we hear the voice of the Lord? Now, we read, I want you to hold your place right there and turn with me to Genesis chapter 3, Genesis 3. it's so. I know that we hear, but my sheep hear my voice. Now I can perceive how the Lord would speak and there's recorded, I'm going to read a couple of verses for you here, and it's recorded how there were actually human beings that actually heard the voice of the Lord.

Genesis chapter 3 Genesis 3, verses 6 to 8. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired, make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave it also unto her husband with her. And he did eat, and the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sowed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons, and they heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

And I looked it up. They heard the voice of the Lord. It looked it up, and here's what it said. They heard it with a voice and an understanding. Now you hear what I'm saying because I'm speaking in a language I know not as well as some, but I'm speaking in a language you get it. You understand what I'm saying. I'm using words that you understand. And the scripture says that when Adam and Eve was created, the Lord was walking in the garden and they heard with a voice and an understanding, they understood what he was saying. Here was a record of men, women, that could actually with this, with this ear right here, they could hear the voice of the Lord. Look at Exodus 3. Exodus chapter 3. Exodus 3. I'm going to read verses 1 to 6.

And Moses kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, a priest of Midian, and led the flock to the backside of the desert, came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.

And he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see God, called unto him out of the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, here am I. And he said, draw not nigh, hither, put off thy shoes from all five feet. for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

And moreover, he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God. It said that the Lord spoke and called unto Moses the utter with a loud sound. He called unto Moses and it was an utterance with a loud sound. And Moses heard him. He heard God speak. Now time would forbid us to Consider all the scriptures which absolutely declare the truthfulness of being able for men to be able to hear with a natural ear.

I mean, they hear. I'm speaking, you hear. And you understand. But all of us that know the Lord have had this thought. I've never heard God speak verbally to me. And I'm sure it's foolish. I'm sure it is. But I just, I was going over again these notes this morning. thought went through my mind, I wonder what the Lord's voice sounded like.

I've told you before, you hear me and you, as soon as you hear my, you don't have to look at me, you're going to know that's Marvin. I know that's Marvin. Because the way he pronounces all of his words and mispronounces most of them and so I know that's him. But I've wondered how can, can one hear the voice of the Lord? And no, that's the Lord. That's the Lord speaking. My sheep hear my voice. I know them. And they follow me. How does he hear? Hold in your place now still in John. Turn with me to Hebrews 1. Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews 1. I'm going to read verses 1 to 4. Hebrews chapter 1, wonderful. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. Now I know for a fact from that verse right there, I know that God speaks through the prophets and even right now.

You're hearing what I'm saying verbally. But because of a new ear, a spiritual ear that only a believer truly understands or somehow understands, you hear the voice of the Lord. You hear God. You don't hear just Marvin. You hear, I'm using words, but you're hearing with a new ear.

You're hearing God who at sundry times in a diverse manner spake under the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by son. Word there, his is italics. He has spoken unto us in the language of son. So there's a language that's being set forth that only a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, one regenerated by the grace of God, can hear has spoken unto us in these last days, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels, as he hath in inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

So I know that in these last days, according to the scripture, God speaks to his people. He speaks to them and they hear his voice. They speak the scriptures and there's a language that is set forth and the people of God hear it. They hear the scriptures, they hear the word of God. So taking the Lord's word, God who at sundry times in a divers manner spake unto the prophets, spake unto the people by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by son. And they hear.

So I want us to notice first from that passage of scripture that I read in the gospel of John. Just look, turn back to John. Gospel of John. Look at verse 27. Look at the first two words in that verse, 27, my sheep. Now this, this being able to hear the voice of the Lord is, is something that is a privilege that is bestowed upon a particular group of people. Who are they? According to the scriptures, they're told to be referred to as my sheep. My sheep.

Now here's just taking God at his word. This is something that's so. Until the Lord in regenerating grace gives a man or a woman the ability with a new ear, gives them a gift called, according to the scriptures, The hearing ear, the seeing eye is by the Lord. The Lord gives it. And they hear the voice of the Lord. It's a group of people that didn't make themselves to be sheep. That is the gift of God. Those that are chosen by the Lord. Those are chosen.

Here again, turn to John 15, verse 16. John 15, 16. And I've heard people say, you know, well, to become a Christian, you have to first choose the Lord. Well, let me just, let's just look and see if that's so. John 15, 16. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. So whenever somebody says to become a Christian, You have to choose the Lord. God is not fair. Remember this. He is a just God and a Savior. You talk about grace, that God did not leave any of us to ourselves.

I'll read this scripture, 1 Peter 2.9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a particular purchased is what that word means. You're a particular people that you should show forth the praises, the virtues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. In the salvation of God's elect, who made the first move?

God or man? You know the answer. It wasn't man. It wasn't man. You know you will not call upon the Lord, cry unto him for salvation until the Lord comes to you first and gives you life in Christ. I've told you before, spiritually dead men and women cannot do anything. They are dead. God Almighty comes to His people in regenerating mercy and grace and gives them life, gives them a new heart, gives them a new eye to see Him, to hear His voice with a new ear, and then they call. When you cry out to the Lord, Lord save me, He's already given you life, or you would have never called.

I proved that just then. You're a chosen generation, a holy people, a peculiar, purchased people. The sheep of the Lord Jesus Christ were chosen in Him. When? According to the Scriptures. Ephesians 1, verse 3 and 4. I'll read this for you. Now listen to this. When did the salvation of God's people? When did all of this begin?

Here's what God has to say. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Beloved, had God not been pleased to choose His people to Himself, they would have never chosen Him. They'd have never called on Him. Now here's the truth of the matter. Salvation is by the grace of God. I've told you many times this message that I'm preaching is not an offer for you to accept it or reject it. I'm telling you the truth right now. Salvation is by God's grace.

Almighty God, according to these scriptures, was pleased to have a people unto himself eternally. And He chose them before the foundation of the world, before He ever created this earth. Brother Pat read that scripture a while ago. I was thinking when God created the heaven and the earth, all of that was done. The Lord had already chosen His people. He said, I've loved you with an everlasting love. How long ago was everlasting? Forever. Forever.

For those chosen vessels of God's mercy, the Lord Jesus Christ laid down His life in time according to the mercy of God Almighty who loved His people before the foundation of the world. And in time, the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world and laid down His life John 10, 11, I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd, giveth his life, what, for everybody? For the sheep, for the sheep. For those that he had eternally chosen, the Father who chose, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has chosen us.

He chose us. And in time, he makes it known. And here is how he makes it known. He sends a preacher. He sends a preacher. I'll give you pastors after my heart, and they're gonna teach you. They're gonna teach you. The greatest blessing that Almighty God, I don't know if I can say it that right. A great blessing. Let me say that. I don't know. How do you say the greatest blessing? Everything that God does is the greatest blessing. But that almighty God would send a pastor to preach the gospel to a people and give them his elect. I'm just I'm just telling you what God has to say. I'm telling you what the Lord has been pleased to do. that he would send them a pastor and give those people that he sent a heart to stay there.

But what if they're here and they don't stay? It's because God didn't keep them. It's because the Lord didn't keep them. They went out from among us. Why? Because they weren't kept. those that God Almighty has chosen to save, puts them under the sound of the gospel.

How is it that any of us were ever placed in a place or position where we would hear the gospel? God Almighty ordered it. He orders all things after the counsel of His own will. How was it that your mom and daddy had a child that raised up and God ordered it?

And he put you there and kept you, kept you from dying. I've told you how many times I've thought about, but for the grace of God, I'd have been dead. Oh, some of the stupid things that I did. I thought most people that would have done something like that would have died.

But Almighty God was pleased to keep me, and you that believe, keep you, and allowed you to stay alive physically in this world. God was pleased to put you under the sound of the gospel and save you by his grace and mercy. The Lord Jesus Christ, when he said, I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. laid down his life. The Lord did not spill his precious blood with an uncertain end. It wasn't one of these per adventure. Well, I'm going to send somebody, they're going to preach to them, and I hope they, you know, He said, I lay down my life for the sheep.

All that the Father giveth me, John 6, 37. All that the Father giveth me, I love this, shall come to me. And him that cometh to me by God-given faith. God had to give you faith to believe. You didn't have that faith. God gives his people faith. All that the Father giveth me. I love this. All that the Father, and I underline the word giveth, it is as one that belongs to. All that the Father gave to the Son to redeem, to lay down His life. Why did the Father give any to the Son, to redeem, to lay down His... I lay down my life for the sheep. Why'd He do that? Because they were the Father's. They belonged to Him. Why did you believe? Because God gave you a heart to believe, to honor the glory of His mercy and compassion to hell-deserving sinners.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, shall come to me, and him that cometh. I looked up the difference between the word come and cometh. All that the Father giveth me shall come in heart, and him that cometh, seeking mercy continually. Him that cometh. You know, I've told you about ETH. It's a progressive thing. Him that cometh to me. That word that has that ETH, it is a present tense word. Present tense. Him that cometh. You know what God's people are doing right now as they hear the gospel? They're coming to Christ. They're coming. It's a present Action.

They've been redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, robed in his precious righteousness. And now, according to the scriptures, Christ having paid their debt, giving them a new heart, new spirit. Here's what scripture says, there is therefore now, right now, no condemnation. You know, that's a truth that a believer, by God's grace, can die with. They can die. I know death, humanly speaking. I know it's a fearful thing. I know that.

But by God's grace, him that cometh to me. God's people came when they first heard, and they're still coming. And they never tire of coming. They never tire of hearing this message again. They heard the gospel. Here was the progression. They heard the gospel as a general rule. Let me say it like that. They hear the gospel for the first time with a natural ear, and they say, that can't be so. That's hearing the gospel with a natural ear. They don't, they don't, nah. I don't need to hear that again. I don't, I don't, I don't need to hear that afresh. That's the natural reaction to hearing the gospel. Oh, but when they hear the gospel in power, when they hear the gospel with a new heart and new understanding, here's what they're going to say.

Tell me that again. I know you've told me, but I want to hear that one more time. Tell me one more time how the Lord has taken my guilt and put it away by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and applied that blood. When I see the blood applied to you, I'm gonna pass over you. I'm telling you, the older I get, the more precious I think. I'm saying that right? The more precious that is.

He alone is the bread of heaven, and the sheep of God need to eat that bread and drink spiritually of his blood afresh every time. I've been here all these years, and I preached out different passages, but the message by God's grace never changed. Same thing. He said, I can just about tell you what Marvin's gonna preach. You know, they're good. By God's grace, I don't wanna change. Therefore, God's people, they hear his voice, and he knows them. They know him, and they follow him.

You that believe, what do you truly want to do? What do you want to do? Here's your answer. I'll answer it for you. I want to follow him. What if he leads you in a path that is trying? What if he gives you a disease that's tough, humanly speaking, to bear? You know what you want to do? I want to follow him.

I want to seek after him. I want to be able. I want to thank him. I want to. Lord, help me. I believe. Help my non-belief. But I want to follow you. Lord, by your grace, let me be thankful. Let me be satisfied. Lord, help me. I'm a weak creature. You don't want to hear anything other than this truth. My sheep hear my voice. I know them. They follow me. They follow me. I give unto them eternal life. Listen to this. And they shall never perish. You don't want to hear anything else. You don't want to rest in anything else.

But this grace, God's grace, Recently I heard of someone that was found in a bad storm. And they were looking for a place of refuge to get out of the storm. And the only place that they could find to get out of that storm and give them some kind of relief was a dumpster. He found a dumpster and he crawled in that dumpster trying to get some relief from being in that torrential rain. And they found some temporary rest in a stinking dumpster.

And I thought to myself, that's man by nature. That's man by nature. Man by nature is satisfied to crawl in the dumpster of false religion, a lying message that gives them some kind of temporary relief. That's all in the world it is. It's just this world's false religion is nothing more than a stinking dumpster. And men, but for the grace of God, will crawl inside of it and be satisfied for just a little while. May God almighty bless us to hear with a new heart the gospel of God's grace. My sheep, my sheep, hear my voice. I pray God give hearing ears to hear his message, to believe his truth for his glory and our good.

Hearing The Voice of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about hearing the voice of Christ?

How do we know God's grace is essential for salvation?

Why is it important to understand that Christ died for His sheep?

How does one hear the voice of the Lord today?

What does John 15:16 teach about God's choice in salvation?

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Hearing The Voice of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about hearing the voice of Christ?

How do we know God's grace is essential for salvation?

Why is it important to understand that Christ died for His sheep?

How does one hear the voice of the Lord today?

What does John 15:16 teach about God's choice in salvation?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

Comments

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