Recap:
God is not silent, and you do not need a special title or spiritual gift to hear from Him. Jesus made this clear in John 10, describing Himself as the Good Shepherd whose sheep recognize His voice. That same relationship is available to every person He has created. The question is not whether God is speaking. The question is whether we are learning to hear. His voice often comes through the loud thoughts that rise up in your mind, through other people, through music, through nature, and most consistently, through Scripture.
One of the most reliable and time-tested ways to hear God through Scripture is an ancient practice called lectio divina, which is Latin for divine reading. Practiced for over 1,500 years by Jewish rabbis, the Desert Fathers, and Benedictine monks, this approach is not about mastering the text intellectually. It is about opening yourself up to be shaped by it. The practice involves four steps: reading a short passage slowly and noticing what stands out, meditating on that word or phrase and asking God what He is saying, praying honestly by bringing your real life into the passage, and finally resting in quiet contemplation and worship. Journaling what you hear at the end helps you hold onto what God reveals.
What makes this practice especially meaningful is that what God speaks to you may not be for you alone. In one group setting, a man shared something simple that stood out to him from a passage, something that did not feel particularly significant to him personally. But when he shared it, another man who had recently lost his wife to cancer broke down in tears, saying he knew Jesus was in the boat with him. Hearing God transforms us from the inside out, making us look more and more like Jesus. And sharing what He speaks opens the door for that transformation to reach the people around us as well.
Group Questions:
Icebreaker
What is one unexpected place or moment where you felt like God was trying to get your attention, even if you weren’t sure at the time?
Discussion
- Pastor Andy said that one of the saddest things he witnesses is people quietly drifting away from faith. Have you ever gone through a season where God felt distant or unreal? What brought you back, or what helped you through it?
- Jesus says in John 10 that His sheep recognize His voice. In your own experience, what does it feel like when you sense God speaking to you? How do you tell the difference between God’s voice and your own thoughts?
- Pastor Andy described the voice of God as ‘the loud thoughts in our head,’ and said God can speak through people, music, nature, and circumstances. Can you share a time when God spoke to you through something unexpected?
- The sermon emphasized that Scripture is one of the most reliable ways to hear God’s voice. How consistent is your personal time in the Bible right now, and what tends to get in the way?
- The practice of Lectio Divina involves slowing down and sitting with a small portion of Scripture rather than trying to cover a lot of ground quickly. How does that approach compare to how you normally read the Bible? What feels challenging or appealing about it?
- During the Lectio Divina exercise, Pastor Andy shared a story about a grieving widower who was moved to tears when someone else shared what they heard from God, because it was exactly what He needed. Have you ever experienced a moment where someone else’s word from God was clearly meant for you?
- Pastor Andy said that instead of us mastering Scripture, Lectio Divina invites Scripture to master us. What do you think that means practically, and why might that shift in posture matter for spiritual growth?
- The passage in John 6 ends with the boat immediately arriving at its destination once Jesus was welcomed in. What area of your life do you most need to invite Jesus into right now, trusting that His presence brings things to where they ought to be?