Pastor Carl’s sermon focuses on recognizing and responding to God’s voice, emphasizing that God continually speaks, even if we fail to recognize it. Drawing from 1 Samuel 3:1–10, he recounts how Samuel, under the mentorship of Eli, learned to discern and respond to the Lord’s call. Samuel initially mistook God’s voice for Eli’s, highlighting the importance of guidance and humility in learning to hear God. Pastor Carl explained, “God’s voice often sounds like someone else when you are learning to hear,” whether through sermons, life group leaders, or trusted voices in our lives. He stressed that obedience and a heart properly positioned are critical to hearing God clearly. Samuel’s response, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10), exemplifies this posture of humility and readiness to obey. Pastor Carl challenged listeners to reflect on whether they are positioning themselves like Samuel to hear and respond to God. The message emphasized valuing God’s voice like treasure, with Pastor Carl reminding the congregation of Jesus’ words in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.” It also urged believers to respond to God’s direction in their own lives before sharing it with others, as seen in Psalm 139:23–24, and to be obedient when God gives a word for others, reflecting Isaiah 6:8. He concluded by encouraging believers to seek mentorship, introspection, and a heart of obedience to grow in intimacy with God and fulfill His purposes. As you reflect on this message this week, consider the following: * Are you intentionally positioning yourself like Samuel, humbly and obediently saying, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening”? * In what ways are you valuing God’s voice as treasure in your daily life, as Jesus described in Matthew 4:4? * How can you practice obedience to God’s voice, both in your personal walk and when sharing His words with others?
