I wanted to spend a few moments tonight talking about one of the most important tools that God gives us. To me, that's our ears. Our ears are used for a lot of different things. But most importantly, they're used to hear the Word of God and the people around us. And I want to focus on four different groups of people tonight. I want to focus on our neighbors, our children, our brothers and sisters, and ourselves.
Do We Hear the Words We Say to Our Neighbors?
You know, we often sing a song that goes
"Each day I'll do a golden deed by helping those who are in need. My life on earth is but a span, and so I'll do the best that I can." — A Beautiful Life, William M. Golden
How often do we ponder the words that we are singing? Do we think about the words that we sing or do we just mindlessly say them due to repetition? Do we consider them even in the most known songs that we have?
Do we consider the words of the prayers that some people say?
Do we focus on helping those who are in need? No matter how big or small the effort is it can always be greatly appreciated. But how do we respond to these ways?
- Luke 16:19-31
Are we taking the time to reach out to those that are in need? Certainly, we may not have one directly at our doorstep like Lazarus, but it can come in many forms in our daily lives. You know, it could be as simple as our next-door neighbor.
Do you all remember a few weeks ago we had that bit of cold? It got down to, what was it, like, negative 30 or something like that. My smart self decided to go outside and start shoveling my driveway the next day, and it was about that same temperature, but, you know, I had on layers to help and lots of movement to keep warm.
And after a while, my neighbor came outside and started working his big old Duramax next door, which is a diesel truck. And, he's struggling with it. He's struggling to get it started. He's looking underneath. He's looking under the hood and can't figure it out. Now, after a while, he hollers over at me and says, man, it's just too cold out, too cold to be working on this.
And I agreed with him. But, you know, I kept pushing on, I was sweating at that point and once I just about had the driveway cleared, he hollers over back at me and asks if I had jumper cables. And I was like, yeah, sure. Let's give this a shot and see if we can't get this thing started. And so we get to trying and at that point, I had shed a few layers to where I didn't even have gloves on, and he looks over at me and is like, how can you bear this? It's too cold to be working on this engine, and yet you're doing it on your bare skin and everything. And I'm like, man, it's just, I'm too hot, I'm sweating. What else can I do, keep the layers on and then eventually start freezing? No, it's not the smart way to do it. But anyway, we continue on and on, and eventually, he just gives up because he's just getting too cold at that point.
But I could see in his eyes that he was certainly lifted by me, just trudging along with him, just encouraging him that we could get it started eventually. But, that's when we gave up at that point.
The key is there that we don't give up on those around us. We show a spirit of trying until the point where we have no further energy and then we go a little. Do we do that today?
- James 4:14
We're not given much time on this earth, so why don't we use the time that we do have to the best of our abilities and help those that are around us listen to each other, and show that we care for each other? It doesn't take much.
Do We Hear the Words We Say to Our Children?
- Proverbs 22:6
Are we raising our children today how God would like us? For some of you new parents, your children are getting older. Are you considering these things and those with older children, where have you gotten to at this point?
Are you still trying as hard as you used to when they were younger or are we letting that fall to our Bible class teachers and our preachers?
That is only something between you and God. , but it doesn't always stop there.
Yes, the Bible tells us once we leave our homes and cleave unto our wives, we still have to respect our parents, and our grandparents, and respect the things that they tell us to do. And grandparents, aunts, uncles, how do you help them? Your brothers, your daughters, and your children, how do you do that today? Do you still do that? Our work never stops.
- Proverbs 1:8-9
We have a God-given commandment to train up our children each and every day. Are we doing that today? You know, we should also do it with the love and care, and respect that they deserve. They do deserve that, albeit at times they do cause us frustration, anguish, and lots of emotions, but we still do care for them.
- Psalms 127:3
Do we remember that each and every? Or, do we hold spite against our children?
And as for our Bible class teachers and preachers and anyone who has the opportunity to teach your children, do you do that with the same care and respect it deserves? Or, do we ignore those responsibilities and say, oh, the next person will do it? Or, oh, their parents will take care of it that we don't really know what's going on at their home, but we can do the best that we can when they are right there in front of us.
Can we provide that same effort as if we were one of their parents? I think we can.
And, do we respect what our mothers and fathers have taught? Do we still consider and ponder the lessons that they taught us growing up? Or do we quickly forget those things and think that yes, we know it all now?
And most of all, do we neglect what is taught in our Heavenly Father's Bible? Do we sit here and study God's word day in and day out, or do we shelve it as soon as we leave here from the assembly?
That is something I can certainly be better at. Can you? Yes, I certainly think so.
- Matthew 19:14
Are we hearing what Jesus is telling us right here to train up our children so that they can find their place in heaven? We don't want to see our children fall away. None of us ever want to think about that, but are we allowing that today? Are we neglecting our children?
Do we feel the urgency that we have in this very short life? Life can certainly end as quickly as it started. That's a sad fact. But it is what reality is and we can't forget. Or are we just cruising along and hoping that someday we will get to it? Someday, we'll start teaching them the Bible, telling them the stories of God. Certainly, that time is now for your children.
- 3 John 1:4
There is no greater joy than to see the fruit of your labor come to fruition. Can we see that today? Or, do we see something that could be less fruitful, something that may not even be fruit at all?
Can we hear that from our children today? Can we hear that in their daily prayers? Can we remember the last thing that our children might have prayed for? Even if it was something as simple as, thank you for this hotdog. I like hot dogs, so yeah, I'm thankful for that. Our children are our greatest mission field.
Take joy in the work and you will continually be brought joy in return.
Do We Hear the Words We Say to Our Brothers and Sisters?
Have y'all ever seen Star Wars? You know, I never thought I'd be able to work this into a lesson, but, here we are. So the main protagonist is Darth Vader, right? He's got these two kids, Luke and Leia. They're fighting against each other constantly throughout the series, but at the end, Darth Vader realizes, Hey, my kids are right. I'm in the wrong. I should right these wrongs and destroy the evil that I have done.
You know, one day you could fall away and your children could help bring you back to the fold. Your children could help grow you stronger. Are we listening to what our kids are telling us today? Or are we neglecting the things that they say and turning a deaf ear to them?
- Matthew 18:15-20
If you didn't see Nathan's lesson this morning, I do encourage you to go back and watch it. It was really good material. I highly encourage you to go back and watch it.
But are we listening to the warnings others give us in their lessons? What I am telling you tonight, what Nathan told you this morning, what Jack tells you every single Sunday, what any guest preacher might say. Are we comparing the words that are taught to our bibles or are we taking them for granted and trusting what they say? It can certainly lead you astray.
Are we listening to the prayers that others are saying in these songs, that some may be leading the words in those songs? like I mentioned.
He tells us in this passage:
- go to your brother
- if they don't listen to us, we are to try again, but bring others with us.
That first bit is important. Go to them alone.
You can certainly intimidate somebody by them getting the impression that they're getting ganged up on with multiple people coming at them, but you alone should go to them. It doesn't say, go and gossip about it with everybody that you know. It says, go to your brother. And then, if they won't listen to you if they won't listen to you, plus a few others, go to the congregation and confide in them.
We look out for one another. We act in kindness and love. We cherish one another or we risk turning them away from God.
I have seen examples of this in the church today, and it is real and can't be forgotten. Is this something that we keep at the forefront of our minds when we have issues or do we let our emotions get the best of us?
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Are we listening to our brothers when they have a chance? Are we reaching out to them or are we saying the next person will do it, and someone else will reach out to them?
Oh, Charlie Foxtrot, he always helps people. He'll always do it. He'll be the one to do it. We can't rely on everyone. We can't rely on the same people to do things. We need to take charge and help our brothers and sisters.
We need to help build them up and encourage them. Do we do that today or, do we find ourselves tearing them down for the betterment of ourselves, for our own entertainment? Is that something we can be better at? Certainly. And I think we can do. . We as the church are only as strong as we make those around us.
Do We Hear the Words We Say Ourselves?
And how is your prayer life today? Do you find yourselves praying daily, hourly? Do you even remember what the last prayer was that you said the last things that you told?
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Certainly, that doesn't mean that we spend all of our daily lives praying. We still got to eat, we still gotta sleep. There's nothing wrong with working our jobs and focusing on that. But, do we take the time that we need to pray to God to tell him our concerns, to be thankful for the things that we have, the abilities that we have, and the opportunity that we had to share God's word today?
How much time do you spend talking with Him?
- Luke 5:15
People spend more of their time following others, listening to all the hub of the media like Nathan pointed out this morning, and just trying to find the quick remedies, the easiest way to do things, than they would to take a moment and tell God what their concerns are, what their issues are, the struggles that they're having, and the struggles people they know are having, also in conjunction with making those actions. Right yourself to fix your issues, study God's word, to take care of yourself health-wise.
But most of all, we pray to God for those things. Do we find ourselves doing that?
- James 2:26
You know what makes it easier, as we see in James, is to build habits for yourself and that faith without putting in the work is dead. Do we put in the work in conjunction with our faith? Without the two, we don't have a whole here. Do we have a disconnect?
- Philippians 4:6-7
God already knows what's in your heart. He knows what's on your mind, your cares, your concerns, but have you told that to him? Have you asked for strength when you needed it? And strength when you don't?
What's that old saying? Always be prepared for rain. When you pray for rain, be sure to take an umbrella with you. You don't want to be caught in a rainstorm and get drenched if you don't have an umbrella. So why would you pray for something without putting action with it?
What is stopping you today from pouring your heart out to God? Are you doing that today? Can you hear yourself doing that today? Or, do you hear something that may be a little less?
- Ephesians 4:29
Can you hear the words that come outta your mouth?
Do we know the things that we are saying to other people and how they may affect them? Do we pause before we let the words out of our mouth?
Words are hurtful. Are we taking an account for that? If we train ourselves to keep God at the forefront of our minds, though, we won't ever have that fear, reflect upon yourselves, and we can live a courageous life.
If you found this evening that. Your ears may have hindered you in your daily Christian walk. I encourage you to make it right, to ask for prayers, ask for strength. You can do this and we are here to help you. Or, maybe you've decided that you've heard God's call you and it is your time to put on your Lord in baptism. If we can assist you in your walk with God, please contact us.
