"The God who created us and gave us life is always speaking—are we listening?" This was the question posed by the pastor during his sermon at the summer praise meeting jointly organized by Huxi Church and Xinjing Church in Shanghai on July 25.
At the event, Rev. Lin Enchao from Grace Church was invited to preach on the theme "Put Down the Noise and Hear the Call," addressing how modern Christians can rediscover the ability to hear the voice of the Lord.
Rev. Lin began by observing that people today are constantly surrounded by various forms of "noise," and being consumed by the noise is a life issue, influencing the relationship between believers and the Lord. Citing John 10:27, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me," he reminded the congregation that the Lord Jesus is always speaking to His followers, and the reason Christians often fail to hear God is not due to God's silence, but because their hearts are overwhelmed by noise.
Pastor Lin said that the Lord Jesus has never ceased calling His people—the true question is whether believers are willing to listen.
Continuing his exposition on John 10:27, Pastor Lin highlighted the order in which the Lord Jesus presents "hearing" before "knowing" and "following." He emphasized that listening to the Lord is a necessary foundation for truly knowing and following Him. "If you can't hear, you can't know—so how can you follow?" he asked, noting that listening is a skill Christians must intentionally retrain.
Following this, Pastor Lin proposed three practical steps to rebuild this listening ability. First, he encouraged the congregation to "pause"—to deliberately step away from their busy routines and set aside time to commune with God. He recommended exercises, such as setting aside 15 minutes each morning to put down the phone.
The second step is "quietness"—cultivating an inner stillness and focused mind. He clarified that this does not mean pursuing absolute silence, but rather learning to center one's thoughts on God's truth.
The final step is practicing listening—learning to discern God's voice with a posture of expectation. As believers immerse themselves in Scripture, Pastor Lin explained, they become increasingly attuned to the tone and character of God's voice, much like sheep that naturally recognize the voice of their shepherd.
To illustrate the transformative power of hearing God's voice, Pastor Lin referenced biblical figures such as Moses and Samuel. He urged Christians to actively respond to God's call, to "truly enter into the space with God," and not allow worldly noise to control their lives. Instead, they should continually listen for the Lord, experience His presence, and follow Him daily.
After the sermon, nine newcomers made a decision to follow Christ.
Originally published by the Gospel Times
- Edited and translated by Poppy Chan
