Introduction

Good morning, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. It's a joy to gather here with you, in this sacred place, where we come together to share the love of God, to seek His wisdom and find comfort in His Word. As we open our hearts and minds, let's remember the words of the great Christian preacher, Charles Spurgeon, who once said, "A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t." This is a testament to the power of God's Word in our lives. When we immerse ourselves in Scripture, we are not merely reading a book; we are engaging in a conversation with the Creator of the universe.

Today, we turn to the Book of John, chapter 12, verses 20 to 33: "Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. 'Sir,' they said, 'we would like to see Jesus.' Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!' Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.' The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, 'This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.' He said this to show the kind of death he was to die."

What a profound passage! Here we find Jesus, on the precipice of His greatest trial, speaking words of profound truth and comfort. He speaks of His impending death, but also of the glorious resurrection to come. He speaks of the necessity of sacrifice, and the promise of eternal life. It is a passage rich with meaning, and today we will seek to understand more deeply its message for us.

Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of Your Word, a light unto our path and a guide for our lives. As we gather here today, we ask that You would open our hearts and minds to the truths contained in Your Word. Help us to hear Your voice, to honor You through our listening, and to harvest the fruits of Your glory. We ask this in the precious name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Hearing the Holy Voice

In the passage we read, we find ourselves in the midst of a conversation. A conversation between Jesus and His disciples, between Jesus and His Father, and between Jesus and us. It's a conversation that takes place not only in words, but in the silence between the words, in the actions that speak louder than words, and in the profound truths that echo throughout eternity.

We see Jesus, in the midst of His greatest trial, turning to His Father in prayer. He doesn't pray for deliverance from His suffering, but for the glorification of His Father's name. And in response, a voice comes from heaven. Some in the crowd thought it was thunder; others said an angel had spoken to Him. But Jesus tells us that this voice was for our benefit, not His.

What does it mean to hear this holy voice? It's not just about the physical act of hearing. It's about opening our hearts and minds to the presence of God in our lives. It's about recognizing His voice amidst the noise and distractions of the world.

The first aspect of hearing the holy voice is recognizing that God speaks to us. In the passage, we see that God responded to Jesus' prayer with a voice from heaven. This tells us that God is not silent. He communicates with us, not only through His written Word, but also through His spoken word. He speaks to us through the beauty of creation, the wisdom of His Word, the counsel of godly friends, and the still, small voice in our hearts.

Next is understanding what God is saying. In the passage, Jesus explains that the voice from heaven was for our benefit. This implies that God's words are meant to be understood. They are not cryptic or obscure, but clear and comprehensible. They are words of truth, words of wisdom, words of comfort, words of guidance.

Thirdly is responding to what God is saying. In the passage, Jesus responds to the voice from heaven by reaffirming His commitment to His mission. He doesn't shrink back in fear or doubt, but presses forward with courage and conviction. This shows us that hearing the holy voice is not a passive activity, but an active one. It requires a response from us. It requires us to align our will with God's will, our actions with His commands, our lives with His purposes.

The fourth aspect of hearing the holy voice is sharing what we have heard. In the passage, Jesus shares the words of the voice from heaven with the crowd. He doesn't keep them to Himself, but makes them known to others. This reminds us that the words of God are not meant to be hoarded, but shared. They are not meant to be kept secret, but proclaimed.

Honoring God through Listening

In the midst of the bustling festival, the Greeks sought out Philip with a simple request: "We would like to see Jesus ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO