Sound of Silence

Sermon Script

Subwoofers

Not long ago, I pulled up to a red traffic light and suddenly, my car started shaking. The windows and the dash were rattling so bad I feared the ability to proceed when the light turned green. Boom, ba-boom… what was going on….? Then I looked over at the young man in the car next to me. His subwoofers were vibrating right into my vehicle. It was defiantly not music to my ears, but it must have been to this guy because he seemed happy as a lark.

That gave me something to ponder on my journey home. The perception and reality of noise… I have often talked about the noise in the world, but never in a literal sense. Noises like early morning lawn mowers, slamming doors, or fingernails scratching a chalkboard we might all agree are not pleasant sounds. On the other hand, noises like engine brakes, cherry bomb mufflers, or that dude’s music, becomes debatable by the ear of the beholder.

The Sound of Silence

If you really think about it, in this “live out loud” world… it seems nothing is accomplished quietly. I have observed that when it becomes too quiet, individuals tend to turn on a radio or television, use ear buds, or increase the volume of white noise. At what point do you dare scream… for silence?

Have you ever wondered what that even sounds like…? The sound of silence? Not from the perspective from the Simon and Garfunkel’s hit song, but to what the true sound of silence really might be. Of course, it doesn’t count if you must use earplugs.

Now that lack of sound I just mentioned, the sound of silence, if you were really listening for it, would have been loud and clear in the Old Testament lesson for today in 1 Kings. Elijah was given a bold message through the sound of silence. But first let me give you a little backdrop on what led up to that moment. Elijah was running for his life. He had just slaughtered some 800 idolatrous prophets of Baal and Asherah.

Elijah’s Flee 

Even though what he did was faithfully serving the Lord, the corrupt rulers Ahab and Jezebel wanted him dead because of it. As Elijah fled, he becomes so overwhelmed that he just wanted his life to end. He was weary, he didn’t think his work accomplished anything good, and he was discouraged. However, God had plans for him. For there was success he could not see and help he did not look for. So, after being strengthened by an angel of the Lord, Elijah was able to flee another 40 days to a cave at Mt Sinai and wait for God there.

This is where the Word of the Lord come to him in verses 11-12… “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.

and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.”

Elijah heard the Lord in the sound of sheer silence. A sound that he could hear a lot better after the world’s “subwoofers”, quit rattling his life. As Elijah soon found out, there was immense power in the sound of silence.

Listening To God’s Voice

That reminds me of an article I saw regarding the sound of silence as explained by Mother Teresa. She was being interviewed by Dan Rather, a CBS news anchor, and he asked her what she said to God during her prayers. She replied, “Not a thing, I just listen.” So, Dan turned the question around by asking, “Well then, what does God say?”  Mother Teresa smiled with confidence and answered, “Nothing, He just listens.” For a rare moment, Dan didn’t know what to say. Mother Teresa then added “And if you don’t understand that… I can’t explain it to you.”

Could it possibly be that you and I are like that news commentator? Not knowing for sure if we understand what God’s whisper really is or possibly afraid to ask. Are we so used to the noise around us that we don’t even realize it is a distraction from hearing God’s voice in the sound of silence? Sitting at the stoplight of our daily routine, happy as a lark…  Turning up the noise found in the winds of social media, the noise of earth-shaking emotional pains, or the noise found in the fiery distractions of a busy schedule to do more and be more.

Noise In The World 

Like Elijah, we can get a lot of head pounding noise through discouragement, weariness, or insecurities. But at the same time, these noises can be incredibly silent… If you think about it, how many times have you laid awake in the middle of the night in quietness, while listening to these persistent sounds in your mind? Would you agree that kind of noise makes each heartbeat pound like those subwoofers? Boom, baboom… Anxious hearts can be quite loud. It is no wonder we can’t hear God with all that noise going on. Lest we even try…

But you know what? Amid the noise and commotion of the world, there is still a small voice calling in whispers that can only be discerned by the ear of faith. The sound that can only be heard when you are listening for it. That is why Mother Teresa added, “And if you don’t understand that… I can’t explain it to you.” Like the Psalmist in 46:10 who calls us to “be still and know that I am God.” To have the presence of mind to just stop and listen.

Give It To Jesus

In the rush of life, the voice of God… the sound of silence… is drowned out. Surely none of you have selective hearing. Could it possibly be, that is what happens and all you hear is what you want to hear? We must pause for a moment and ask ourselves… Where should my priorities be? We are asked to be still, and give all these things… all that noise, to Jesus.

That is the point Jesus was trying to make today with three potential disciples in the Gospel of Luke 9. You probably noticed that Jesus is quite direct in this reading, but on the other hand I think He needs to be.

The first man is willing to follow, but possibly unaware that in a life of discipleship, there is no comfort… only insecurity and no real home. The second guy wants to take care of his parents first by honoring the fourth commandment. And the third man wants to spend a little more time with his family before saying he will follow, thus leaving Jesus to wonder if he is up for the task.

From a worldly point of view, we might not see a problem with any of these men. But from Jesus’ perspective, the first man failed the kingdom test for matters of comfort, the second was obedient to the Law, and the third simply wants to honor relationship. All of them, good and bad. Bad in the sense that they lose sight of the main thing… that Jesus should come first in all things.

Face The Music

To have what it takes to become a follower of Christ, we must put Him above all other things. Especially noise… That’s why the noise of the world must be turned down by listening to the sound of silence found in Christs voice.

It is interesting to note how Paul wants us to face the music as we pause at that proverbial stoplight in the Epistle lesson. Along with our anxious hearts and insecurities, he adds that much of the dash shaking noise comes from our natural tendency to sin. In Galatians 5, starting at verse 19 he says, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.” Our list is getting quite long, and it’s beginning to make significant noise. The question remains… At what point do you dare scream… for silence?

Hearing Loss

Like that guy that pulled up next to me at the stoplight. It appeared that turning that volume down was not a concern. Even if the outcome is long term hearing loss…

The same is true with our sin, as the noises Paul talks about have the same result. Long term hearing loss with Christ. The sinful ways that distract us from spiritual priorities in our life, is damaging noise. That is why it is important to be intentional and listen… for the sound of silence.

It’s a good thing Paul doesn’t stop there and say… “And if you don’t understand that… I can’t explain it to you.”

Fruit Of The Spirit

Instead, Paul offers some insights of where God’s voice can be heard. He continues in verse 22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against these things there is no law.” There is no law because all these things will flow through us from the cross of Christ. In fact, through Gods love, He calls out to us in a small voice… and we will be able to hear Him loud and clear in and with these fruits each day… Through faith. 

Now listen up! If we take a closer look at these fruits, the list starts with love for a reason. Everything we do is infused with the love God has poured into us. Giving us nothing but joy because of His great love. Combined, love and joy create peace. Which in turn produces the patience to dwell and get along with others in this world. Thus, Patience is the fruitful location of kindness.

When I am patiently exercising kindness toward my neighbor, then real goodness is possible. Resulting in faithfulness.

This is the fruit of long and durable relationships in which I can forgive and be forgiven. A relationship worth dedicating your life to. A relationship crafted in gentleness of heart. Finally, putting all these fruits together will be the ultimate climax of self-control.

Each fruit feeding off the other because of the quiet voice of Christ working in and through each one of each one of us. These fruits are growing on the vine in your heart right now.

Faith In The Hearing

Like I mentioned earlier, circling back to faith …Yes, faith is the relationship which God establishes and through which He saves. Not by anything we have done but the result of believing. In fact, it is through God’s good and precious gift of faith in Christs work on the cross that will make your heart rattle and shake. A loud and clear eternal promise, in… you guessed it, the sounds of silence.

My friends, as you go about in this “live out loud” society, remember what grace can be found in the silence. When you listen carefully, the voice of God will come through loud and clear. When we put Jesus first in everything we do, the noise of our anxiety or fear, our skepticism, our sins, or selfish agenda’s, will be silenced.

That is what Elijah needed reminded of. He was discouraged just like you and I will be sometimes. But God gave him courage. It was in a gentle and still sound, a little voice. It did not look perhaps what Elijah was thinking it would look like.

Don’t be surprised if God’s call and His words of encouragement don’t look like what you expect either.

Be Still 

While listening doesn’t seem like nearly enough…in the sound of silence, in the voice of God, there is wisdom, there is comfort, there is hope. In the sound of silence, we will be able to hear loud and clear through the winds of truth, the earth-shattering grace, and the fire of God’s love in our hearts. What a gift through a quiet voice found in the stillness of God.

So remember, when you leave this place and the subwoofers of life start to make you shake… be still and use your fruitful gifts to listen to God in prayer. And in that stillness, you will hear God’s voice in the sound of sheer silence.

Amen