The importance of listening well
Gregory Bishop
(Audio: English)
SUMMARY: In Acts 10, we see the example of how the Apostle Peter learned to hear from God in different ways. Listening is a learned skill, and Peter learned through experiences such as the miraculous catch of fish, walking on water, and denying Jesus. In this chapter, we see how God spoke to both a non-Jewish man named Cornelius and Peter. Cornelius had a vision of an angel instructing him to send messengers to Peter. Meanwhile, Peter was on a rooftop and had a vision of a sheet with unclean animals and a voice telling him to eat. At first, he resisted, but the voice spoke to him again and reminded him that God had made the animals clean. This was a scandalous message for Peter, as he believed that these animals were unclean according to Old Testament law. However, he learned to go with the flow and trust that God would reveal things to him later on.
The passage being discussed is Acts 10, where Peter receives a vision from God telling him not to call anything impure that God has made clean. Peter doesn't fully understand the vision at first, but when some men come from Cornelius' house, he realizes that God is talking to him about people, not just food. Peter goes to Cornelius' house, where he preaches a message and the Holy Spirit fills the gentiles who were present. Peter learns that God doesn't show favoritism and changes his paradigm. The author then shares a personal testimony of a paradigm shift that happened in their own life when they visited an inner city church.
The speaker shares a personal testimony about a paradigm shift that happened in his life when he was 17 years old. He visited an inner city church and a drug rehab program and was welcomed with open arms, despite his initial fears of not being accepted. He learned to be teachable and let God guide him, which led him to a ministry with men in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction for the past 21 years. The speaker encourages listeners to be open to what God is speaking to them and to cultivate ears that hear. The prayer is offered for God to deepen our spirits and give us humility as we listen and wait for his revelation.
The passage being discussed is Acts 10, where Peter receives a vision from God telling him not to call anything impure that God has made clean. Peter doesn't fully understand the vision at first, but when some men come from Cornelius' house, he realizes that God is talking to him about people, not just food. Peter goes to Cornelius' house, where he preaches a message and the Holy Spirit fills the gentiles who were present. Peter learns that God doesn't show favoritism and changes his paradigm. The author then shares a personal testimony of a paradigm shift that happened in their own life when they visited an inner city church.
The speaker shares a personal testimony about a paradigm shift that happened in his life when he was 17 years old. He visited an inner city church and a drug rehab program and was welcomed with open arms, despite his initial fears of not being accepted. He learned to be teachable and let God guide him, which led him to a ministry with men in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction for the past 21 years. The speaker encourages listeners to be open to what God is speaking to them and to cultivate ears that hear. The prayer is offered for God to deepen our spirits and give us humility as we listen and wait for his revelation.
God is always speaking in some way and the question is, are we listening? I want to look at one example in the Book of Acts, chapter 10. I’m going to look at the example of the Apostle Peter allowing himself to be taught or spoken to by the Lord, and that is one example because it combines a few different modes of God communicating.
But I want to think about Peter. How many of you know that listening is a learned skill. Some people are better listeners than others. How many of us know that? Sometimes our tendency, you know, you’re talking to someone and they’re looking around and they’re yawning. And you say, ‘look, are you getting anything, are you listening? Maybe they are, but they are just now giving you the clues. And there’s other people who you feel that, guau, I say something and this person…. They’re just ….. on me, they’re listening, they’re giving me feedback, they’re really interested in what I’m saying. They’re people who have learned how to listen, that’s a learned skill and in fact I want to put of that in our discipulado materials, someone remind me of that, because we need to teach it. It doesn’t come naturally, to listen.
But I want to think about Peter. How many of you know that listening is a learned skill. Some people are better listeners than others. How many of us know that? Sometimes our tendency, you know, you’re talking to someone and they’re looking around and they’re yawning. And you say, ‘look, are you getting anything, are you listening? Maybe they are, but they are just now giving you the clues. And there’s other people who you feel that, guau, I say something and this person…. They’re just ….. on me, they’re listening, they’re giving me feedback, they’re really interested in what I’m saying. They’re people who have learned how to listen, that’s a learned skill and in fact I want to put of that in our discipulado materials, someone remind me of that, because we need to teach it. It doesn’t come naturally, to listen.
