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Sunday 11 August 2002 - "Listen attentively and obey fully"

(Summary of sermon by Erlo Stegen)

Rev 2:7

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;

1) Listen to the Holy Spirit

This is not a small matter, for Jesus said that he that sins against the Father or the Son shall still find forgiveness, but he who sins against the Holy Spirit shall not find forgiveness in this world or in the world to come. We should reverence the Holy Spirit.

If you know the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, how can you listen to and accept slander, gossip and lies? When young people in the church flirt around, one asks the question, "Does the Holy Spirit not speak to them?" There are ministers of the gospel who preach about the Holy Spirit, but fall into gross sins and sexual immorality. The Holy Spirit is just in their mouth, but they do not know Him.

2) He who has an ear to hear

It is a dangerous thing to listen to people's judgment about a matter, without listening to God. Do you know the Holy Spirit speaking to you, even convicting you of sin when it enters? Many people do not have an ear for the Holy Spirit, but live to please their family.

A certain man wanted nothing to do with the gospel, but he loved music very much. One day a church close to his home had the inauguration of a brand new organ and he decided to go and listen to the music of the organ. When the preaching started, he stopped his ears with his fingers. God however arranged a fly to go and sit right on the tip of his nose. No matter how he blew or whatever else he tried, the fly just stuck to his nose. Finally, in a rage, he plucked his finger from his ear and took a swipe at the fly. As his ear opened, he heard the words thundering from the pulpit, "Let him who has an ear listen", and he came under conviction of sin, and repented.

3) Obedience

It is of utmost importance that we do not only hear, but listen attentively to God, and obey Him fully. God told Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites. He destroyed everything that was despised, but kept alive the best of the animals and the king of Amalek. Even when Samuel challenged him about his disobedience, he willfully lied and said that he had obeyed God. He did not listen attentively to God's instructions and obeyed Him fully. Saul explained that the people wanted to sacrifice the animals to God. He wants to sacrifice that which is cursed to God!

Symbolically we must utterly destroy sin from our life, and not sympathise with it. It might be an affair with the opposite sex. It must be utterly destroyed.

In 1 Sam 15:22 we read Samuel's answer. Rebellion, or willful disobedience, is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as idolatry. Disobedience to God bewitches a person. Do not treat it lightly. One can speak as you like to one that disobeyed God and turned back, for he is bewitched because of his disobedience and will not hear.

In 2 Cor 10:5 we read that we must bring every thought into captivity to obey Christ. Is your life a life of obedience to God? Are there things that you stubbornly pursue in disobedience? You will pay a great price for your disobedience.

When Saul was little in his own eyes, he was exalted, but when pride entered, he fell. Saul's end was awful. He committed suicide, and the enemies rejoiced over his fall.

Make sure that you listen to God and obey Him fully.