How to Hear From God

·40 min·4 clips

A man hears 'grace bomb' in his head at McDonald's and gives $500 to a grieving teenage girl.

The episode opens with announcements about Love Weekend on July 13th and a monthly night of prayer. Pastor John Smart introduces week four of the Grace Bomb series, praising Pat Linnell for making evangelism accessible. He compares daily life to two experiences: an escape room where God has set up tasks, and being trapped in a broken closet with no purpose. This leads to discussing Ephesians 2:10 about God preparing good works in advance. The sermon focuses on listening to the Holy Spirit, breaking it down into three roles: inspiration of Scripture, indwelling believers, and illumination connecting Scripture to life. John explains that hearing God's voice starts with Scripture, using an analogy from Hamilton to illustrate recognizing God's voice elsewhere. He describes the Holy Spirit's indwelling as having the author of the Bible live inside you, referencing John 14 and Acts 2. Illumination is where the Bible becomes alive and prompts action. John then provides four signs of hearing from the Holy Spirit: actions that elevate Jesus, are countercultural, require self-denial or risk, and are biblical. He emphasizes that obedience always requires faith, comparing it to cliff jumping where you must jump despite knowing the risks. A story is shared about a man who felt led to give $500 to a McDonald's employee after hearing 'grace bomb,' highlighting faith in practice. John addresses objections about making mistakes, stating faithfulness is our responsibility while results belong to God. He offers three action points: learn God's Word, cultivate awareness of God throughout the day, and take steps of faith. The episode closes with communion, linking it to repentance and hearing God's voice, based on Jesus' sacrifice for abundant life.

As heard by us

A sermon on hearing God that makes the Holy Spirit's nearness vivid through Scripture, church life, and Tolkien.

John Smart's sermon centers on proximity: the space between a believer's questions and the Holy Spirit, who he presents as dwelling now in the church as God's people.

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Why you'd press play

Want a sermon that makes God's nearness feel personal, practical, and a little wondrous: how will you listen for his voice?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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