Cut Out the Noise

He who belongs to God hears what God says.  John 8:47 (NIV)

Props: cell phone, ipod (or mp3 player), TV

Preparation: Prepare a volunteer to come out listening to an ipod in one ear, talking on the phone in the other ear and watching TV.  Try to talk to her throughout the lesson. 

            The Bible says, “He who belongs to God hears what God says” (John 8:47 NIV).  That means God has some very important things to say to you!  He speaks to you when you pray, when you worship and when you read the Bible.  However, there is a problem that keeps some people from hearing God when He tries to speak to them: too much other noise. 

Oh look, there’s (call volunteer’s name).  I’ve needed to talk to her.  (Call volunteer’s name.  Have her ignore you, pretending not to hear you because of all the noise).  That’s funny.  I can’t get her attention.  Oh, I see.  She’s on the phone…and listening to music…and watching TV.  No wonder she doesn’t hear me.  (Stand in front of the volunteer and wave your arms to try to get her attention.  She turns off the TV, takes out her earphones and hangs up the phone).  Finally I have her attention.  What did she have to do before she could hear me?  (Allow for response).  Right…get rid of all the distracting noise.  And we need to do the same if we are going to hear God’s voice.   

            Talking on the phone isn’t wrong.  Listening to good music and watching good television programs is not a sin.  But when we listen to music and watch TV and talk to our friends all day, from the minute we get up until we go to sleep, we’ll never have time to stop and listen to God.  You have to learn to get quiet before the Lord so you can hear what He wants to say to you.  When I am praying, I don’t talk to my friends at the same time.  And when I am trying to hear what God wants to say to me, I don’t watch the television.  I have a special time that belongs just to God.  It is important for you to take time and let God talk to you.  Talk to Him and then get quiet and let Him talk to you.  Learn to listen to God’s voice.  Take time for Him to talk to you.

Clean Out Your Ears!

He who belongs to God hears what God says.  John 8:47 (NIV)

Props: Picture of a giant ear, giant cotton swab, sticky tack

*You can make a giant cotton swab by attaching polyester filling to a wooden or plastic rod.

            Did you know that God wants to talk to you?  He has some very important things to teach you and share with you!  Today we’re going to talk about learning to listen to God and hearing His voice.  It is important to understand that there are things that can deep you from hearing God’s voice.  In our body we hear with our ears.  Raise your hand if you can think of one thing that might keep you from hearing with your ears.  (Allow for response).  There is one really gross thing that can keep you from hearing: ear wax.  Ear wax is that thick, gooey yellow stuff that builds up inside your ear.  Most of you clean out your ears once in a while…I hope.  So your ear wax never gets so bad that it makes you deaf.  But if you didn’t clean out your ears for a while, it could build up so bad that you wouldn’t be able to hear anything!

            This lesson isn’t about the ears on your head, so I’ll stop talking about ear wax now.  Today’s lesson is about hearing God.  And just as things can build up in your ears to keep you from hearing sounds, things can build up in your spiritual ears to keep you from hearing God.  (Place pieces of sticky tack on the picture of the giant ear to represent things that can block spiritual hearing).  Your spiritual ears can be filled with the opinions of other people.  When other people don’t agree with God and keep telling you what they think, it might keep you from hearing God’s voice.  Your spiritual ears can also be clogged with lies that the devil will try to tell you.  If God tells you to do something, the devil will tell you not to.  Even your own thoughts can keep you from hearing God’s voice.

            The only thing to do when your spiritual ears get clogged is to clean them out.  (Begin to “clean” giant ear with giant cotton swab).  Clean them out by asking God to help you hear His voice and to block any other voices that do not agree with His.  Clean them out by refusing to listen to people who try to tell you something that is not God’s truth.  Clean them out by getting rid of all the lies of the devil and filling your ears with God’s Word and His truth.

            Learn to listen to God’s voice.  Learn to listen to His voice by cleaning out your spiritual ears so you can hear what He is saying to you.

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