Hope: Hearing

Scripture Passage

Luke 3:7-14

² The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
³ You have enlarged the nation
and increase their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
⁴ For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.  
⁵ Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
and be fuel for the fire.
⁶ For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.

Sermon Script

If you had to give up one of the five senses, which one would it be? We ask each other this question from time to time. It’s a fun, hypothetical question. The five senses are: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. We need all of them, of course. But your choice shows what you don’t consider as important.

Rather than telling you what I would give up, I will tell you one sense that I would not give up. Most people will say sight. It’s unimaginable to think what life would be like if we couldn’t see anything. But for me, it’s HEARING.

I value our ability to hear very much. I have an extremely sensitive hearing. Once I scored very high on a hearing test when I was applying to be a flight attendant. Without hearing, I wouldn’t be able to play the drums. I wouldn’t be able to listen to music. I also wouldn’t be able to hear the sound of your unique voice. I can’t imagine what life would be like if I couldn’t hear anything.

There is something about hearing that I find fascinating. Just by listening, you can tell if someone is being genuine or not. You can pick up on things that’s not visible to the eye. By listening, you can also hear the message behind someone’s words that’s not said explicitly. What you hear ultimately influences you in some way.

This shows that hearing is not just about listening with our ears. Our hearing is connected to our hearts. What we hear doesn’t remain in our heads. What we hear travels into our hearts and shapes them. In that sense, we can even say that who we are and how we live has to do with what we hear.

People who grow up hearing negative things about themselves have a very low self-esteem. They have a negative self-image and lack confidence. They are unhappy and dark. Not only that, they will continue to invite words of judgement and condemnation from others, because it will reinforce their sense of self that’s already there. It is a destructive cycle.

So what we hear in our life is important. What we choose to hear is even more important. I shared this at the Bible study with our YP’s on Tuesday. We can either listen to the voice of DEATH or the voice of LIFE.

Voice of death is what we often hear in our journey. It is the noise that constantly surrounds us and tries to lead us to a dark place. It is the voice that brings fear, anxiety, and sadness. It is the voice that disempowers us. It is the voice that makes us feel hopeless. Social media tends to be full of this kind of voice. Even our own voice can be a voice of death.

Voice of life is what we often fail to hear in our journey. It is hidden within the noise that surrounds us. Yet when we hear it, it can sound even louder than the noise. It is the voice that shines light into our darkness. It is the voice that brings hope into our hearts. It frees us from the lies and leads us into the truth. It is the voice that strengthens and empowers us to stand up. It often comes to us in the form of God’s word. We experience its power when we hear it.

That’s what happened to the Israelites. They heard the voice of life through the prophet Isaiah. That’s the passage we read today. The voice of life came to them in a time of darkness, when they were under great oppression by a foreign power. They were in that position because their king, Ahaz, listened to the voice of death rather than the voice of life. Their future seemed hopeless and grim. Yet Isaiah proclaimed this message of hope in their presence—

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Might God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

This word of life entered their ears and reached down to their hearts. The promise of a Saviour to come, like David, awakened their dark and deadened hearts. They remembered the wonderful works that God did in the past. They envisioned a bright and hopeful future ahead. The message of hope ultimately became a declaration of thanksgiving.

On this first Sunday of Advent, we also hear this message of life that brings hope into our hearts. Advent marks the beginning of the new Christian calendar year. Advent also is a season of waiting – for the coming of Christ. Waiting is a sign of hope. Hope comes from hearing.

You may see a lot of darkness around you and within you. You may see many reasons to be disappointed and discouraged. You may feel anxious, confused, and even indifferent. Don’t let what you see and feel lead you astray. Don’t let them distract you from hearing God speaking to you. Waiting is never easy. But we can wait patiently when we hope in God, as Isaiah said—

The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:7

God will do it. God will accomplish what seems impossible. We don’t have to worry or be afraid. God will bring the change we wait for. As we begin this journey of Advent, let us trust in God’s goodness.