Week 1: Listen
March 5 & 8
Shema - listen and obey.
You cannot recognize a voice you do not spend time with.
Jesus is a shepherd that intimately knows His sheep.
When the voice of Jesus is unfamiliar, every other voice sounds equally persuasive.
Jesus is the one who calls, and He’s the one who saves and protects.
You can tell which voice you are listening to by the fruit it bears.
Anchors for discerning the voice of God:
Anchored in Scripture.
Aligned with character of Jesus.
Confirmed by the fruit it produces.
Tested in biblical community.
How do we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit?
Slow down.
Open scripture expectantly.
Write it down.
Obey quickly.
[d]Group Questions
Read John 10:1-10 together as a group.
Recognizing the Shepherd’s Voice - Jesus says in John 10 that “the sheep recognize his voice.” What are some ways you have personally experienced God speaking or guiding you in the past? What helped you recognize that it was His voice?
The Voices We Listen To - Shannon mentioned that we are always listening to something—news, social media, fear, past wounds, etc. What voices tend to compete the most for your attention? How can those voices make it harder to hear the Shepherd?
The Fruit Test - Galatians 5 says that we can tell what voice we are listening to by the fruit it produces. When you think about the fruit in your life lately (peace, patience, joy, etc.), what does it reveal about the voices you may be listening to?
Prayer Prompt
Invite your group to take 2 minutes of quiet listening together before praying. Encourage everyone to simply say in their hearts: “Lord, I’m here. I’m listening.” Then pray together as the Lord leads.