Are You Listening?

Our reading is 1 Samuel 3:1-10. This is the background – there was a woman by the name of Hannah, who had a difficult time conceiving a child. Hannah prayed so earnestly for a child she caught the attention of a priest named Eli, who had compassion on her. He prays for her and, in time, she gives birth to a boy. She named the child Samuel, which means “the Lord heard.” She is so thankful for her son; Hannah dedicates Samuel to the service of the Lord and entrusts his care to Eli. According to our reading, Samuel stayed with Eli for many years.

According to our reading, God began to speak to Samuel when he was a boy. The great historian Josephus (37-100) tells us, God began to speak to Samuel when he was twelve years old. That is a significant age in that culture. Twelve-year-old boys were considered men. According to the Bible, Samuel was lying down in the temple when he heard his name and assumed Eli was calling him. One should never assume. It took God three attempts to get Samuel’s attention. This is the question you must answer. How many times would it take God to get your attention?After all, we have a difficult time simply hearing one another.

There are several reasons for not hearing one another. Sometimes, we don’t hear one another because our ears are broken. Did you know over fifty million Americans are hearing impaired? That is more than 14% of our national population. Sometimes, we don’t hear another because we are preoccupied. That is my story. I will be standing next to someone, but my mind is a hundred miles away. I say it regularly, “I’m sorry. What did you say?” Sometimes, we don’t hear one another because we refuse to hear what is being said, like when your doctor says to lose weight and exercise. We have a hard time hearing one another. However, the story is not about hearing other people. The story is about hearing God. Eli put Samuel in the best possible position to hear God.

Beliefnet is an online Christian resource and community focused faith, spirituality, and lifestyle. In 2019, they posted an article about putting yourself in the best possible position to hear God and this is their list:

Pray – Did you know, according to the Pew Research Group, 44% of Americans pray every day? That means 56% of Americans don’t pray every day.

Read the Bible – Did you know, according to Lifeway Research, 10% of Americans have never read a single word in the Bible?

Find a quiet space – Our world is full of noise. The music is always playing. The television is always on. Someone is always talking. Someone is always cutting down a tree or mowing the lawn. It is hard to hear God through all the noise.

Read spiritually rich material – The Christian faith is more than 2,000 years old. God has touched every generation, and, in every generation, people have written about their experiences with God. Read their words. Read what Augustine (354-430) had to say. Read what John Calvin (1509-1564) had to say. Read what John Knox (1514-1572) had to say. Read what John Wesley (1703-1791) had to say.

Look for God – For over twenty years, the youth at my church participated in Group Work Camps. At camp they were challenged to look for God, they called it a God sighting. If you train yourself to look for God, you will find Him.

Talk to other believers – The Christian faith was never meant to lived out in isolation. The Christian faith is meant to be lived out in community. That is why church is so important. In the true church we encourage and support. In the true church we are honest with one another and hunger for what is best.

Worship – God expects us to worship Him. (Matthew 4:10) Sadly, many don’t. Did you know, according to the Pew Research Group, only 30% of American Christians attend church weekly?

Know yourself – You are so valuable Christ died for your sins so you could spend eternity in heaven. Sadly, many don’t believe it. Did you know, according to NBC News, 85% of Americans have a low self-esteem. Maybe one of the reasons we don’t hear God, is we don’t like ourselves?

This is the point. Eli positioned Samuel to hear God. Are you in the best possible position to hear God?

In 2019, my wife Kathryn and I traveled to Scotland. It is a special place full of beautiful landscapes, history and wonderful people. Part of the adventure was traveling by train. Every day, we would check the train schedules. We traveled during non-peak hours so it would be easier. Nearly every day we would sit together on the train. One day, the car was full, and we were forced to sit apart. Kathryn sat with a couple from Sweden and discussed the royal family. I sat next to a young man, who was lost in thought. When I first arrived, he seemed annoyed. He was forced to move his sack lunch so I could sit down. I apologized and introduced himself. He told me his first name and said he was a local. I told him how impressed I was with Scotland. I told him about our travels. I told him about where we were planning go. I told him about my home and job. I told him about my family and our pets. I told him I loved baseball, but I knew nothing about soccer. I told him everything. Then, it hit me – I had been doing all the talking! I stopped talking and looked at him for a response. He was a million miles away. When he finally looked at me, he pushed his shaggy hair back and pulled his earbuds out. He looked at me and said, “Did you say something? I can’t hear anything when I am listening to my music.” I simply said, “That’s fine”, and I stopped talking. Why waste your breath if someone isn’t listening? Why waste your breath if someone doesn’t want to listen? Could that be our story?

God is talking to us, but we just aren’t listening. Could it be we are too preoccupied to listen to God? Could it be we are too busy to listen to God? Could it be we don’t want to listen to God because we are afraid of what he will say to us? We want God to say he loves and accepts us. We don’t want God to say that we are sinners who need to repent. We don’t want God to say that we are a disappointment. This is the question you must answer: are you putting yourself in the best possible position to hear God? I hope the answer is yes, because author Bryant H. McGill (born 1969) isn’t wrong. He once said, “One of the sincerest forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.”

Divine Deafness

Our reading is Numbers 22:21-34. The Old Testament book of Numbers covers the 38-year period the Jews wandered in the wilderness after the establishment of the covenant at Sinai. Tradition tells us Moses wrote it. Yet, by the twenty-second chapter, Moses is dead, and the people are waiting to enter the Promised Land. That was a pivotal moment in their history.

The Jews were excited about their future, however other people in that area were not excited about their presence. The Jews were a new political force in that area of the world. Every nation responded to them in a different way. For example, the people of Moab only wished them harm. The king of the Moabites wanted the Jews to be cursed, and he wants the main character in our story, Balaam, to curse them. Balaam is caught in the middle between pleasing his king and pleasing God. As our reading begins, Balaam intends to deliver the curse, but God tries to stop him. Three times God sends an angel to Balaam. Each time, Balaam’s eyes are blind to the angel and deaf to his words. The unlikely hero in the story is Balaam’s donkey. According to the story, Balaam’s donkey sees the angel and tries to frustrate Balaam’s progress. Desperate to get Balaam’s attention, God opens the animal’s mouth, and the prophet listens. In the end, the curse is not delivered, and the prophet returns home.

It is a story about communicating. God tried to communicate with Balaam three times without success. How many times has God tried to communicate with you without success? Could it be you are no different than Balaam? God is trying to communicate with us, but our ears are deaf. The problem is not God; the problem is us. According to the federal government, approximately 37.5 million Americans, or 15% of the population, is hearing impaired. This blog is not directed at the hearing impaired. It is directed at those who have perfect hearing yet fail to hear God. We fail to hear God for several reasons. Let me look at them.

When I was in college, I lived in a dormitory. In the basement there was a common room. It was a place to relax and visit. It was nothing fancy, there was a television set, ping pong table and some couches. One day I walked through and found another student sitting there deep in thought. I looked at him and said, “So what’s new?” He responded by saying, “I am dropping out of school; my mother has cancer. The doctor tells us she doesn’t have much time left.” I put my money in the pop machine and said to the same student, “So what are you doing this weekend?” He looked at me and said, “You didn’t hear me. My mother has cancer. She is going to die. I am dropping out of school.” I felt about two inches tall, and I listened to him for an hour.

Sometimes we don’t hear because we are preoccupied. Something else has our attention. It may be a problem you are facing. It may be something that happened in the recent past. It may be some future event. I know it is true because I fight preoccupation all the time. I have always fought with preoccupation. It is a form of selfishness. Our preoccupations deafen our ears. God tried to speak to Balaam three times. How many times has he tried to speak to you?

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Empire attacked the American Naval Base in Pearl Harbor. A short time later, the United States entered World War II. So much happened over the next few years. It is easy to glorify past victories, but it is hard to forget all the ugliness. Part of the ugliness was the creation of Japanese American internment camps. They were created by Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945). Executive Order 9066, which created those camps, was issued less than three months after Pearl Harbor. In time, approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans lived in those camps. 62% of the internees were United States citizens. Military historians tell us they were not created due to any military threat. They were created for one reason: racism! They were guilty of nothing but having Japanese ancestors. No matter how you spin it, it was ugly. Our world is still filled with prejudicial behavior, which frustrate us from hearing God.

Sociologists tell us three things about our prejudices. First, our prejudices reveal our insecurities. We are prejudiced against the groups who threaten us. Second, our prejudices give us a false sense of security. They make us feel like we are in control, yet that is not always true. Third, our prejudices are learned, we learn our prejudicial attitudes from others. Others are learning their prejudice attitudes from us – it is one of the things we teach our children.

Sometimes we don’t hear because we are preconditioned. How many prejudices do you hold? How preconditioned are you? God loves each one of us equally. God doesn’t play favorites. If you really want to hear God, then you must remove all your prejudices. Jonah, the reluctant prophet, refused to go to the Nineveh because he didn’t care for the people there. Some don’t listen because we are preconditioned. God tried to speak to Balaam three times. How many times has he tried to speak to you?

There is an old Jewish Proverb that says, “No one is more deaf than a man who won’t listen.” One of the most known Bible verses is John 3:16: God so loved the world he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Everyone seems to know it. Everyone loves it because everyone wants to be loved by God and go to heaven. We don’t have the same feelings about Leviticus 27:30. It says, “Every tithe of the land is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.” In other words, the first ten percent of your income goes to God. How many people do you know practice Leviticus 27:30. We like John 3:16 because we want to be loved. We dislike Leviticus 27:30 because we don’t want to give our money away. We only listen to the Bible verses we like.

Sometimes we don’t listen because we are predetermined. In other words, we hear the words, but we decide to reject them. How many times has your doctor told you to stop smoking and start exercising? How many times has your financial adviser told you to stop spending and start saving? Only 10% of church goer’s tithe. The church is filled with predetermined listeners. Some don’t listen because they are predetermined. God tried to speak to Balaam three times. How many times has he tried to speak to you?

American writer Earnest Hemingway (1899-1961) once said, “I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” The problem isn’t God; the problem is us. God tries to communicate with us in scripture, through the Holy Spirit, our dreams, prayers, meditation, and other believers, but we just aren’t listening. To get Balaam’s attention, God had to speak through his donkey. What does God have to do to get your attention?

Your Servant Is Listening

Our reading is from I Samuel 3:1-10. The people of Israel have settled back into a lax lifestyle. Their attitude toward God and His vision for them as a nation had become indifferent. Their leader, the high priest, Eli, was old. Unless something happened the reigns of leadership will be passed to his two wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas. The only bright spot in the whole story is a boy named Samuel. His name means “asked of God.” He had been entrusted to Eli a decade earlier by his mother, Hannah. In time the tables turned, it is Samuel who now cares for the old man’s needs. Surprisingly, God speaks to Samuel and breaks the silence. Here is an interesting question.

Why did God speak to Samuel? Why didn’t God speak to the old priest, Eli? Why didn’t God speak to Eli’s sons who were in the prime of their lives? Perhaps a better question is, why doesn’t God speak to us? For years, I would utter the same prayer before I would preach. “Dear Father, we have grown weary of human voices and human opinions. Father, what we really want is a word from you.” Why is a word from the Lord so rare? In this blog, I want to look at three qualities Samuel had in his life that made him attractive to God. They take the form of three words. Perhaps God isn’t speaking to our society because we lack these qualities.

The first word is the word others. God speaks to those people who are concerned about other people. God is frustrated with people who live for themselves. It is hard to see God when your eyes are fixed on yourself. Samuel illustrates that fact for us. Why did Samuel assume the voice of God he heard was Eli? There are two reasons. First, this was the first time God had spoken to him and he did not know God’s voice. Second, a large part of Samuel’s life was caring for the aging Eli. He didn’t just live for himself, he lived for someone else, Eli, and he heard a word from the Lord.

I am proud of many things I did in the ministry. One of those things is sending youth on an annual mission trip. The camps were sponsored by a youth organization called Group. The goal was to help people in need and to help young people experience Jesus. We did it for over twenty years at Western Reserve. Twice we co-hosted a camp within a few miles from our church building in Youngstown, Ohio. Those trips were life-changing for everyone involved.

Every year I would be at the church when the youth returned from a trip. The scene was always the same. They would get out of the vans and act like they were returning from war – they were limping and tired. However, something special always happened, they would tell me about the week. They told me about the funny things that happened. They would tell me how hard they worked. They would tell me about the people they met in their small work group from around the country. They would tell me about the people they helped – the poor widow, the young mother with cancer, the crippled veteran. All the residences they worked on were considered substandard housing. They would tell those stories with a smile, and end by saying, “you should have been there!” Those stories were not unique to just the youth, it is true of everyone who gets involved in missions. It is the same for all the mission trips – local, regional, national and international. There is something about walking in some else’s shoes that changes you. When you get your ears off the details of your life, it changes you. How much time do you spend worrying about yourself and your loved ones? How much time do you spend worrying about a stranger? Maybe that is why a word from the Lord is so rare? God speaks to us when we are concerned with someone else’s needs. Samuel was concerned about Eli. The first word is others.

The second word is the word opportunity. God speaks to people who put themselves in position to hear Him. Samuel positioned himself to hear God. Do you remember the story? God spoke to Samuel three times before Eli discerned God’s voice. The old priest instructed the boy to go back to bed and wait on the Lord. If the Lord speaks again then say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” In other words, Samuel positioned himself to receive God’s word. When was the last time you positioned yourself for a word from the Lord?

We live busy, fast-paced lives. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends 9.8 hours a day sleeping, 5.15 hours a day in leisure, 3.56 hours a day working, and 1.92 hours a day on household activities. That comes to a total of 20.43 hours each day. What are you going to do with the rest of your day? How many of the remaining 3.57 hours each day are you planning on spending with God? It is not an easy question to answer. I am convinced we make time for the things that are important to us. How important is God to you? How much time are you planning on spending with God? Samuel positioned himself to listen to God. Are you positioning yourself to hear God? Are you giving God an opportunity to speak to you? The second word is opportunity.

The third word is the word obedient. Maybe the word should be disobedient? Let me say this clearly – God does speak to us! One of the ways is through the Bible. That is why the Bible is so wonderful. The Bible is filled with God’s word and contains wonderful models for holy living. The problem is the way we view the Bible. Most people read the Bible like they are at a garage sale. They select only the parts that are pleasing to them and reject the rest. Samuel said in verse ten, “Speak your servant is listening.” In other words, Samuel was open to God’s word and God’s leading. God’s vision for him became a priority in his life. Can the same thing be said about you?

There is an old preaching story about a church that received a pastor. On his first Sunday, the congregation gathered excitedly and expectantly. Everyone was suitably impressed afterward. “My, how well he spoke” remarked one. “A superb sermon to be sure. If he keeps this up, we’re in for a treat” remarked another. Keep it up the new pastor did. For the following week he preached the same sermon. The people were puzzled, but generously surmised that it had probably been too busy a week to prepare a new sermon, with moving into a new house and meeting all the people. Yet he preached the original sermon the following week as well, and the week after that. The people were very concerned, and the church leadership decided it was time to confront their new pastor. They met him after the service and asked whether he had any other sermons or whether he planned to preach the same one for his entire ministry.” I certainly hope not,” said the pastor. “I plan on preaching a new sermon, once you put the first one into practice.”

All the spiritual disciplines mean nothing if we are not open to God’s word for us. Preaching and Bible study mean nothing as long as our opinions are more important than God’s word. Preaching and Bible study are not entertainment, they are God’s word to you. Do you really care what God has to say to you? Scottish theologian and preacher Peter T. Forsythe (1848-1921) was right when he said, “The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master”. Why is a word from the Lord so rare? Perhaps, one of the reasons is we really don’t care what God has to say? The first word was others. The second word is opportunity. The third world is obedience. I end with this story.

Our 32^nd President, Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945), often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work! We are proud of you! God bless you, sir!” It was not until the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were truly heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.” 30^th President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) once said, “No man ever listened himself out of a job.”

Listening to other people is a complex topic. Sometimes we don’t listen because we don’t hear. The Food and Drug Agency, tells us approximately 28.8 million Americans would benefit from wearing hearing aids. Sometimes we don’t hear what is being said because we are preoccupied. I am in this category. You can talk to me, and I don’t hear a word, because I am thinking about something else. Sometimes we don’t hear because we are guilty of selective hearing. That is when we hear what is being said, but we refuse to accept it. Like when your doctor tells you at your annual physical to diet and exercise. You hear the words but dismiss them. Listening to other people is a complex topic.

Listening to God is even more complex. Samuel knew how to listen. He heard God because, he was more concerned with others than himself. He heard God because he gave God an opportunity to speak to him. He heard God and was open to God’s leading. God is speaking to you. Are you listening?

Are You Listening?

A story is told of Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945), who often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work! We are proud of you! God bless you, sir!” It was not till the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.”

I have told that story many times. I find it to be a humorous story that makes a profound point. This is the point: there is nothing simple about listening. God must be very frustrated that many don’t listen to Him. It is the main point in our scripture reading.

We find ourselves in the sixteenth chapter of Acts, verses six through ten. In the previous chapter, Paul and Barnabas had separated. The conflict circled around John, also called Mark. He had dropped out of the first missionary journey, so Paul found him to be undependable. When the two separated, Barnabas teamed up with John. Paul teamed up with Silas. Paul needed more help, so he enlisted Timothy. We looked at his story in my previous blog.

To completely understand the reading, you must understand the geography of that corner of the world. Our understanding is limited. It will have to suffice to say, Paul, Silas, and Timothy were frustrated. They tried to enter several areas but were unsuccessful. Then, everything changed. When they arrived in the seaport of Troas, God communicated with Paul through a vision. What is a vision? It is the experience of seeing something or someone while in a trance. Paul saw a man starving in Macedonia. Some believe that starving man was Luke himself, the author of Acts. Regardless, Paul got the message. In the morning, the text says Paul got up and traveled to Macedonia. At the very heart of this simple story is the complex word, communication. Paul’s ministry went nowhere until God communicated with him. It is still true today. No ministry will succeed until God communicates His will with us. Communicating with God is vital in ministry if you want to succeed.

Did you know the Bible contains nine different ways that God communicates with us? This is the list. God communicates with us:

Through the scriptures
Through the Holy Spirit
Through fellow believers
Through the audible voice of God
Through dreams
Through angels
Through circumstances
Through hardship
Through visions

The question is not, is God is communicating with us? The question is, are we listening? Perhaps, this is a better question. What is preventing us from hearing God? What is preventing you from hearing God? God is constantly trying to communicate with us, but His words are falling on deaf ears. The problem is not our ears. According to the United States census, only 22% of Americans are deaf. Half of the deaf are over the age of 65 years. The solution to our problem does not include an audiologist. The problem is not that we are bad people. I’ve worked with many good people through the years. There is a bigger issue. In my opinion, the major reason we have a hard time hearing God is that we are too preoccupied to listen. Our lives are so crowded that we have no time left for God. He simply isn’t a priority. It is the price we pay for living in our society. Let me ask you this series of questions:

Are you preoccupied with your reservations? In other words, are you preoccupied with your problems? There is no shortage of problems or worries in our society. Research tells us we are worried about all kinds of things. We are worried about growing older and our health. We are worried about our finances and our job security. We are worried about our wrinkles and our physique. We are worried about not looking attractive. (I worry I am too attractive J ) Are you worried about your pet’s health or age? Are you worried about the future of your neighborhood? What do you worry about in the middle of the night? American author and motivational speaker Leo Buscaglia (1924-1998) once said, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” How much time do you spend worrying?

How much time do you spend thinking about God? You have heard it a million times, faith ends where worries begin. Emotionally, our worries pull us in different directions, but they always pull us away from God. Our worries pull us so far from God it is impossible to hear God. Our worries have crowded Him out. Could that be your story? Are you preoccupied with your reservations? Are you listening to God? That leads me to my next question.

Are you preoccupied with responsibility? Our lives are full of responsibilities. Several years ago, it was reported that the best part of going on vacation was planning the trip. I believe that is true. The trip itself is a great deal of work, but the planning of the trip is very little work. When you plan your trip, you dream of carefree days without any responsibility. Can I be honest with you?

In the final years in the ministry, I grew tired of being responsible. I felt responsible for everything. Every time someone complained, I took it personally. When someone complained about the size of the Sunday school, it was my fault. When someone complained about the youth not attending worship, it was my fault. When a staff member caused a problem, it was my fault. When the temperature wasn’t perfect, it was my fault. When there was a mistake in the bulletin, it was my fault. When church members fought, it was my fault. When the door didn’t get locked, it was my fault. When a light wasn’t turned off, it was my fault. When a bad meal came out of the kitchen, it was my fault. When there wasn’t enough money, it was my fault. When people left the church, it was my fault. When someone got their feelings hurt, it was my fault. I was in the ministry for forty years and did my best. I experienced success, but, in the end, I felt like it was always my fault. In my last year, I was overwhelmed with responsibility. I was majoring in the minors. I was so consumed by responsibility, there was no time left for God. I didn’t retire to get away from preaching, pastoral care, weddings, funerals, or baptisms. I retired to get away from responsibility.

Have you become preoccupied with responsibility? I am not just talking about church, I am talking about your life, your job, your home, your children, your parents. Would it be nice to have some “me time”? If there is no time left for you, then there is even less time left for God. No wonder God has a hard time communicating with us. Are you preoccupied with your responsibilities? Are you listening to God? That leads us to the next question.

Are you preoccupied with your recreation? There is nothing wrong with recreation. With all our responsibilities, we need some recreation. I love this time of year in Ohio. The leaves are changing, the weather is cool, and sports are taking over my television. As I write this blog, the post season is on in Major League Baseball. I have watched several games. I will watch more as the World Series draws near. I love football. I follow local high school teams on Friday night. I watch college football throughout the week, but it dominates my Saturdays. Professional football is on from Thursday through Monday. It dominates my Sunday. Now they are airing preseason professional basketball and hockey. It is a great time of year!

Years ago, I was in Florida during the fall. On Sunday morning, I decided to go to church. I will be honest with you. I picked the closest church. I don’t remember what tribe it belonged to. I do remember the service because it was great. The music was fine, and the prayers were sincere. The message was well thought out and powerfully delivered. The whole service fed my soul, and I didn’t want it to end. When the benediction was given, I just stood there trying to absorb the last ounces of the Holy Spirit. When I opened my eyes to leave, a man walked up to me and said, “Do you think the Dolphins will win today?” He missed the whole thing because he was preoccupied with recreation. There is nothing wrong with recreation, until it starts pushing God out. How much time do you spend on your recreation? How much time do you spend trying to listen to God? Are you listening to God?

On June 7, 2014, comedian Tracy Morgan (born 1968) was involved in a six-car traffic accident on the New Jersey Turnpike. One person died, Morgan’s friend and collaborator James McNair (1951-2014). Morgan was lucky, he lived, but he found himself in a coma. He said, ““You don’t die for a few weeks and then come back to normal, trust me. Something’s going to be missing, something’s going to be gained—you just got to live your life after that. But after surviving something like that, I’m probably never going to feel normal. I went to the other side.” Morgan said while he was in that coma God spoke to him. What did God say to Tracy Morgan? Morgan said that God said, “Your room ain’t ready. I still have something for you to do.” Do you believe that God spoke to Tracy Morgan? Do you believe that God is trying to communicate with us? The question is not, is God communicating with us. The question is, are you listening?

Are You Listening?

History tells us Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945) hated the long receiving lines during his time in the White House. He often complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. As each person passed down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work. We are proud of you. God bless you, sir.” It was not until the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were heard. He heard the President say, “I murdered my grandmother this morning” and responded, “I’m sure she had it coming.” That story reminds us that listening does not come naturally. Listening is a true art.

It is my experience that people don’t listen for several reasons. Some don’t hear because their ears are damaged or broken. According to the Rochester Institute of Technology, nearly 11,000,000 Americans consider themselves deaf or hard of hearing. That is 3.6% of our population. Some don’t hear because of what my father called selective hearing. That happens when we hear the words, but we dismiss them because we don’t like or value what is being communicated. Like when the doctor tells you to lose weight and exercise. Or, like when your minister says you are to love everyone unconditionally. You hear the words, but you dismiss the words. Some don’t hear because they are preoccupied. I find myself in that category. I cannot tell you how many times I was physically present to hear the words but mentally I was a million miles away. How many times have you said, “Can you say that again? I wasn’t paying attention.” That is what is happening in our scripture lesson.

We are in the thirteenth chapter of Acts. The first three verses of that chapter explain the rest of the book. According to those verses, it all began in the church at Antioch. The teachers and prophets had assembled when the Holy Spirit began to move. There were seven people present and each one got the same message. They were to set Barnabas and Paul apart to begin their lives’ purpose. They were created to win the world for Jesus.

According to our reading, Acts 13:4-12, Barnabas and Paul began their missionary journey on the island of Cyprus. They are accompanied by Barnabas’s cousin John, who later wrote the Gospel of Mark. Their method of teaching was straightforward. They walked into a local synagogue and proclaimed the word of God. People responded to their message in every congregation. In one of those congregations, they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet by the name of Bar-Jesus. “Bar” is Aramaic for “son of”; “Jesus” is derived from the Greek word for “Joshua.” In verse 8, Bar-Jesus is called “Elymas”, which is the Greek word for sorcerer or magician. Bar-Jesus was the assistant to the proconsul, or governor, of the entire island. The proconsul’s name was Sergius Paulus, who is remembered as a gifted man. He sent his assistant, Bar-Jesus, to Barnabas and Paul for one reason. Like many, he too wanted to hear the word of God. The story would have gone unrecorded except for one thing: the sorcerer Bar-Jesus (or Elymas) tried to turn the governor away from the faith. In the end, a show-down occurs between the sorcerer and God. Bar-Jesus is no match for the Almighty and finds himself temporarily blind. The whole event becomes a great witness for God. No one present could question God’s powers.

When I first read the story, I thought it was odd. When was the last time you met a sorcerer? Then, I read the story a second, third and fourth time. In the end, I read it countless times and every time I read it, the point became clearer. Every day, we play the part of the Roman proconsul. He wanted to hear the word of God, but he was frustrated by Satan. We too want to hear the word of God, but Satan frustrates us. The problem is not that God mumbles. The problem is our lives are filled with so many distractions. Satan uses those distractions to prevent us from hearing God’s words. How many distractions has Satan put in your life to prevent you from hearing God?

Years ago, I had breakfast with a friend. He told the story of going to a funeral of a woman who had died from a drug overdose. As he stood in the back trying to support the grieving family, someone walked up to him and said, “The devil is sitting over there.” He must have looked confused because the person said the same thing in a different way. This time the person said, “The drug dealer is over there.” The drug dealer came to pay his final respects. Do you consider drug dealers the devil?

Years ago, I stood at the back door leading out of the sanctuary and said, “Good-bye,” to everyone. One person looked at me and said, “Russ, you will never guess what I am going to do this week.” I didn’t have a clue. I thought, go to a ballgame, or go to dinner at an expensive restaurant. She looked at me with a big smile and said, “I am going with a friend to a psychic reader!” My head spun around a few times, and I didn’t know what to say. She caught me off guard. Psychic readers are wrong at so many levels. The Bible takes a hard stand against such things. Leviticus 20:27 says, “spiritualists should be stoned to death.” There is nothing entertaining about psychics. They are simply sinister. I do not question their insight. I do question the source of their insight – Satan, himself. Have you ever been to a spiritualist? Every community has several psychics. Let me say this clearly, Satan loves it when you do such things, because they distract you from God. Satan doesn’t want us to hear God.

Can I state the obvious? Our world is filled with “dark” distractions. Satan has filled our world with all kinds of addictions. Our local, national, and international news is filled with all kinds of addictions. We have people who are addicted to alcohol. We have people who addicted to drugs. We have people who are addicted to pornography. We have people who are addicted to gambling. Every community seems to have a place to gamble. Thirty states have statewide lotteries. According to WalletHub, Americans lose $100 billion annually gambling. We are losing children to human trafficking. It is easy to attach those things to Satan, because so many lives have been destroyed by them. Some of our distractions are “dark.”

Some of our distractions aren’t so dark. Our lives are filled with “positive” distractions. There is a website called livingforjesus.com. It says there are seven things that distract us from hearing God. None of them are sinister in nature, but each one prevents us from hearing God. This is their list:

Money – That is why proper money management is important. Money makes a wonderful slave but a horrible master.
Media – How much time do you spend watching TV? How much time do you spend reading secular material. How much time do you spend on social media?
Church – Have you ever gone to church and failed to experience God because you were consumed by some other church activity? Have you ever gone to church and failed to experience God because you were too busy socializing?
Relationships – Family and friends are time consuming. How much time do you spend with people in your life? How much time do you spend with God?
Routine – Is spending time with God part of your daily routine?
Work – How many people do you know work more than 40 hours a week? Time management is important, and life must be lived in balance.
Hobbies – How much time do you spend entertaining yourself? Hobbies are important but they cannot consume your life.

This is the point. Our lives are so full that we have very little time left to hear God. When was the last time God spoke to you? When was the last time you gave God an opportunity to speak to you?

One of the greatest preachers of the twentieth century was a man by the name of Fred Craddock (1928-2015). I have written about him in the past. No one influenced my preaching more than Fred Craddock. He taught homiletics at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. However, I will always remember him as a great storyteller. I have told you some of his stories in the past. This is another one.

He once sat in a group of incoming seminary students. Each student was asked to tell their story, how God had led them into the ministry. One by one the students spoke. Each story was different, but each story was the same. One story stood out. A man in his late thirties told the group he had been a teacher. He worked with children who had a hard time hearing. He said his work was both heartbreaking and exhausting. Every student struggled hearing anything. He said he just couldn’t do it anymore. The end came with a little girl by the name of Susan. She was as cute as a button. One day she was in the playground, and he tried to talk to her. He walked up to Susan and looked at her square in the face. He said, “Susan, what do you want to do when you grow up?” Susan responded, “My shoes are red!” She didn’t hear a word. The incoming student said it was so heartbreaking that he had to leave. Fred looked at the student and said, “If you are going into the ministry, then you’d better get used to people not listening. Every church has a surplus of people who just don’t listen.”

Sometime later, Fred was on vacation in Texas. Sunday morning came and he was in a strange community. He just walked into a convenient church to see if God had a word for him. He sat alone in the back and was pleasantly surprised. Everything about the worship was perfect. The preaching was solid. The music was inspirational. The prayers were sincere, and the spirit was moving. He was sad to see the benediction come because God was speaking to him. After the benediction was given, he just stood there with his head down and his eyes closed. He wanted to absorb the last spiritual crumb. When he finally looked up, a man was standing next to him. The stranger stuck out his hand and said, “Do you think the Cowboys will win today?” Fred said, what the man was really saying was, “My shoes are red!” Like it or not, our lives are filled with all kinds of distractions that prevent us from hearing God’s word. The question is not if God has a word for you. He does. The question is, are you listening?