I’ve heard people say “God spoke to me and said…” Does God actually speak to us today? If so, what does he sound like? Is it an audible voice, or a feeling/intuition, or something else?
God speaks in all sorts of different ways: sometimes still and quiet, through events or actions, other times through words on a page or people.
This week we begin by hearing that the living Word is spoken by a living God: Jesus Christ died but has been raised to life. When the living Lord speaks, his Word makes you alive.
1. What is the Word of God?
- Bible, Scriptures
- Jesus: “the Word became flesh” (John 1)
- Preaching: Jesus, friends/disciples, pastors
- Other people e.g. pastor, parents, friends
- Thoughts, feelings, intuition e.g. renewed mind
Sometimes there’s lots of noise from Satan, sinful self, and the world. How do we tell what’s the Word of God, and what’s something else?
Activity: Four people to help, each person shouts out the following:
God: “I love you.”
Satan: “You’re a loser.”
World: “Money, things, money, things.”
Self: “Me, me, me.”
How do we distinguish between all the voices? What connects all these together?
Activity: God is the one thread connecting his Word together: the Scriptures, Jesus, preaching, others, our mind.
“The Word of God is living.” The same, single voice spoke and speaks through Scripture, Jesus, preaching, others, and our renew minds. The same voice that has spoken throughout history. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. The LIVING God! Because our God is living, all these “different” Words say the same thing! God spoke in the past, God spoke through Jesus (words & actions), God speaks today (Hebrews 4:7; Psalm 95:7).
2. What does God say in his Word?
God’s Word says “I love you!” Take the Bible for example: God’s love letter to you.
Story: Child at school opening lunch box and finding love letter.
My dear child,
As you go about your day, remember that I love you. I’ll always love you.
I love you when I made this food. I love you while I’m at work. I love you when we’ll meet again.
(And be careful opening the yellow container, it has yoghurt that could spill on you!)
Love from Dad.
The Bible is not a old and dusty book, but part of God’s living Word. Yesterday God said “I love you” and today God says “I love you.”
The coming of Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, also says “I love you.” Jesus’ death shows how much he loves you. Jesus’ resurrection shows that he’s still alive and speaking today, still saying “I love you.”
The Word of God is always God saying “I love you!”
3. Why should we listen to the Word of God?
The Word of God not only says “I love you,” but also that there’s a problem: our world is broken, our hearts are sick.
But because God loves you, he does something about it. “The Word of God is living and active.” Active means effective, powerful, it accomplishes what it sets out to do.
The living Word saves you from the brokenness: the world is being mended, our hearts are being made new. It’s like a sharp sword, (or better, a surgeon’s scalpel). The Word of God penetrates with laser like precision to heal our hearts and minds. The living Word makes you living and alive.
May the living God open our ears to hear his Word everyday. May the living God speak his love letter to you, through what he did in the past and what he says and does today. May you be made alive as you hear and respond to the Word of God. Amen.
