How's Your Sense Of Hearing? Series

MAKING SENSE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD

How is Your Sense of Hearing? Heb 3:6-8

INTRODUCTION:

A. We Serve a Great God!

1. I started thinking about this series on our relationship to God a couple of days ago and I got to marveling about God’s creative ability.

2. Take our bodies, for instance.

a. There are seven major systems in our bodies

1) Skeletal – our bones which provide the body with shape and give protection to organs

2) Muscular – working in very close connection with the skeletal, they control the body giving strength and movement

3) Digestive – breaking down foods into the different proteins, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and fats our bodies need.

4) Respiratory – brings in air, supplies oxygen and removes carbon dioxide

5) Circulatory – moves blood carrying oxygen and nutrients supplied by the Respiratory and Circulatory systems, to all parts of the body

6) Nervous – its our bodies’ control system: sending, receiving, processing data

7) Reproductive – allowing for the birth of offspring.

b. There are also a number of smaller, yet very important systems as well

1) Lymphatic

2) Endocrine

3) and Urinary

3. All these systems grow and mature in humans from conception.

4. It is a miracle that all these systems can work together – but more than that it is proof that there is a Master Designer, whom we know as God!

5. No wonder the psalmist declares, Psa 139:13-16 thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. [14] I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. [15] My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. [16] Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

B. And that was not enough, the Lord also gave us five senses to help us interact with the world around us: hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch.

1. Each of these give us a different perspective of our world

2. As I though about this my mind shifted to my dad

- One of the side effects of the chemo they had him on was the loss of feeling in his hands and feet

3. Then I thought about Denise and the loss of hearing in one ear.

4. It is hard to do without one or more of our five senses.

C. So as I thought on this, I began to think of how often God spoke about our relationship to him in terms that are reminiscent of our senses.

1. So the series will focus on the same five senses: hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and touching.

2. Today we will take a look at the sense of hearing.

3. This brings us to our lead in passage for this morning: Heb 3:6-8 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. [7] Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will HEAR his voice, [8] Harden not your hearts,…

4. Hearing is important for a number of reasons

a. Hearing is Essential to Salvation

b. Hearing is Necessary for Obedience

c. Hearing is Foundational for Hope

5. May the Lord open our ears as we look into His gracious word and in the words of our Lord found in Matt 15:10 Hear, and understand:

PRAY

Hearing is so important that 16 times from the book of Matthew through the book of Revelation we hear the words, “let him hear.” Why? Because

I. HEARING IS ESSENTIAL TO SALVATION.

A. As Jesus went about his ministering to the public we have recorded for us in the book o f Mathew what has become known as the Kingdom Parables in Matthew 13

1. At one point he made this statement to the disciples, For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Matt 13:15

2. He people were dead, so to speak, and could not hear the words of the Lord – not the act of physical hearing, but spiritually hearing – grasping!

3. And so it would take a miracle for them to hear!

4. It is no different with people today

a. For one who is dead in their sin, it is nothing less than a miracle for one to hear.