Sermon Central
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Lesson 3: Why Doesn't God Talk Audibly To Me?
Contributed by Elmer Towns on Oct 1, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: God doesn't speak audibly but continues to speak through His Word, nature, conscience, and providence.
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Pastors Bible Class Thomas Road Baptist Church
Series: When God Is Silent
Lesson 3: Why Doesn’t God Talk Audibly to Me?
A. INTRODUCTION
1. Why do we speak? To communicate.
2. Why does God speak?
a. To communicate His glory and might. “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’” (Gen. 1:3, KJV). “The heavens speak the glory of God” (Ps. 19:1, ELT).
b. To communicate His directions for living. “And God spoke . . . (the Ten commandments, Ex. 20:1-17, NKJV).
c. To communicate salvation. The Father spoke, “This is My beloved Son . . . hear Him” (Matt. 17:5).
3. God has spoken in the past, but chooses not to do it today.
B. WHO HAS HEARD THE AUDIBLE VOICE OF GOD?
1. Adam and Eve. “They heard the voice of the Lord God
walking” (Gen. 3:8, KJV).
2. Warning. “God said to Noah . . .” (Gen. 6:13).
3. Assurance. “The Word of the Lord came to Abram . . . saying” (Gen. 15:1, NKJV).
4. Direction. “The Lord said to Jacob . . . return” (Gen. 31:3).
5. Commissioned. “God called . . . out of the bush . . . Moses” (Ex. 3:4).
6. Joshua (1:1), Samuel (1 Sam. 3:10-14), Jeremiah (1:4ff).
C. AUDIBLE WORDS WON’T GUARANTEE OUR OBEDIENCE
1. Israel heard God’s words at Sinai, but rebelled. “They tested me by refusing to listen. They will never ever see the land I swore to give their ancestors” (Num. 14:23, NLT).
2. Appeal to Cain. “You will be accepted if you do what is right” (Gen. 4:7, NLT), but he killed his brother.
3. God directed Jonah but he was reluctant to obey.
4. What could God say audibly that isn’t in scripture? Peter heard God’s voice on the Mount of Transfiguration, “We ourselves heard that voice . . . when we were with him on the holy mountain . . . we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets . . . they wrote” (2 Peter 1:18-19, NLT).
D. WHY DOESN’T GOD SPEAK AUDIBLY TODAY?
1. God could speak today, but He is guided by the principles established for our salvation. He has spoken in His Word.
2. If God spoke to one or some, He would show them partiality. But God must be true to His nature and not show preferences.
3. If God spoke to one, He would have to speak to all.
a. All are sinners, and need salvation.
b. All are condemned. The wages of sin is death.
c. Provision for all. He is “not willing that any perish” (2 Peter. 3:9, NKJV). Christ died for all.
What more could God say to us? All we need is in Scripture. What more should God say to us? He has said all we need for salvation.
4. A recorded message is more reliable than a verbally repeated message.
5. The Bible says the same thing and does not add or take away. “We have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote” (2 Peter 1:19, NLT).
6. When we hear a verbal command, we sometimes
a. Forget all or part
b. Add or delete part
c. Interpret it rather than repeat it
d. Verbal has little authority to assure others.
7. All we need to know about our salvation and service is recorded in the Bible.
8. God does not need to use another special delivery system.
E. WHAT PEOPLE HEAR WHEN THEY THINK GOD SPOKE AUDIBLY TO THEM
1. Usually they hear a deep or loud voice.
2. They have a very specific message they claim God gave them.
3. At times the message is elaborate.
4. Sometimes the message is contrary to scripture, or has nothing to do with their relationship with God.
5. Sometimes people are self-deceived.
6. Some hear a voice because of substance abuse or chemical imbalance.
7. Some are mystics who need reinforcement for their “calling.”
8. Some are delusional.
9. Some are liars, to impress others or mislead them, or get something. (False prophets, deceitful workers, 2 Cor. 11:13).
F. SINCE GOD DOESN’T SPEAK AUDIBLY, HOW CAN I KNOW?
1. Because God doesn’t speak audibly doesn’t mean He is silent, or is unconcerned. God continues to speak through
a. His Word
b. Nature
c. Conscience
d. Providence
e. ______________________
f. ______________________
2. When we don’t hear Him communicating to us, perhaps we are the problem.
a. Tune God out
b. Listening to the wrong things
c. Sin or static on the line
d. We are in the wrong locations, i.e., “Can you hear me now?”
3. The unsaved are blinded to God’s message. “The natural unsaved person can’t understand the things of the Spirit of God . . . but he that is spiritual understands all things” (1 Cor. 3:14-15, ELT).
