Jesus And Me, Part 13: Listening for Jesus All the Time

Josh Lease, Student Ministries Pastor

Discernment is the gift and practice of attuning to the voice of
amid the competing, counterfeit .

Some common competing voices

1.

2. Our

3. Our

4.

5.

Acts 2:1–4
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.” John 15:26

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.” John 16:12–14

1 Kings 19:11–13

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
      Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.”

“We tend to miss God in our midst, not because he’s too extraordinary but because he’s too ordinary. We tend to look for God in the wind, earthquake, and fire rather than the whisper. We climb our own Mount Horebs with expectation—when that preacher speaks, when I attend this conference or worship experience, when I go on my upcoming silent retreat—pigeonholing God’s voice into special times and places. But all the while, he’s about to pass by.” Tyler Staton

God whispers because he is .

The Holy Spirit’s whisper is directed to the depths of our
while the deceiver’s lies are directed to the shallow desires of our .

“When my ego becomes the ear I’m listening with, even my spiritual life can devolve into narcissism focused on ‘me’, not ‘Thee.’” Tyler Staton

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Matthew 16:23

“The practice of discernment recognizes and responds to the presence and activity of God–both in the ordinary moments and in the larger decisions of our lives.” Ruth Haley Barton

Small Group Questions

1. What do you think of when you hear the word discernment?
2. Discernment is the gift and practice of attuning to the voice of Jesus amid the competing, counterfeit noise. What “noise” distracts you from the voice of Jesus? 
3. What do you think of the idea that God speaks to us? Why do you think his voice often comes to us as a gentle whisper? 
4. What has been your experience when it comes to discerning and listening to the voice of Jesus? 
5. The Holy Spirit’s whisper is directed to the depths of our souls while the deceiver’s lies are directed to the shallow desires of our ego. How have you seen this be true for you?
6. Is there anything you’re discerning right now? What might Jesus be inviting you into today?
7. How can we pray for you right now and throughout the coming week?