The following is an excerpt from Bob Russell’s 2016 Easter Sermon at Southeast Christian Church‘s “Sunrise” Service:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘teacher’)” (John 20:16). Mary recognized the presence of Jesus when He called her name.
You and I are not likely to hear Jesus audibly call our name while living on this earth. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…” The primary way the Lord speaks to us today is through the Bible which reveals Jesus to us and equips us for every good work. (See 2 Tim. 3:16-17.)
We shouldn’t be expecting an audible voice from a burning bush. Frankly I’m skeptical of Christians who claim God speaks a direct, personal word to them more often than all the prophets combined. Visions and revelations are rare. We should be searching the Scriptures where God communicates His will very clearly. And every claim of a personal directive should be aligned with the Bible, which is given by inspiration of God.
But the Lord may summon you through a traumatic experience or an overwhelming blessing and you need to be sensitive to His tender call. About two years ago Sherm Henderson and his wife Judy were preparing to check out of a resort in West Virginia. As Sherm drove his car from the parking lot to pick up his wife he experienced a horrific cardiac arrest. He completely passed out and his car plowed into the hotel, trapping him inside of the locked car.
It just so happened that a professional EMS worker, a first responder from North Carolina, was in the hotel lobby at the time. She raced to the scene, saw Sherm turning blue and barked, “We’ve got to get to him in five minutes or he will not make it.”
It just so happened that a groundskeeper nearby had a shovel right at his side. He quickly broke the window, unlocked the door and pulled Sherm out of the car. The nurse performed CPR for seventeen minutes, keeping him alive. First responders from the area rushed Sherm to a hospital where he was in a coma for three days.
When he came to and the family realized all his faculties were functioning properly and his thinking was clear, everyone rejoiced. Sherm then asked, “How long have I been out?” His brother in law quipped, “We’re in Hillary Clinton’s second term!” (Now there’s a relative with high mercy gifts!)
Weeks later Sherm traced down the woman who saved his life and phoned her to express his gratitude. She burst into tears and explained, “I’ve been praying for years that I would be the first on the scene in a situation where I could save someone’s life. You’re an answer to my prayer.”
Sherm Henderson could be spiritually deaf and arrogantly boast, “Man, I was lucky. I survived because I kept myself in good shape.” Instead he humbly heard the Lord call his name has fallen at His feet in thanksgiving, and has embraced every day with a renewed vigor.
Last week after a thorough examination, Sherm’s doctor said he couldn’t believe he is doing so well and termed his recovery a miracle. Sherm Henderson now spends considerable time visiting with others who have experienced similar heart problems and inspiring them to have hope.
Maybe Jesus is tenderly calling you today. Whether you hear Him calling you or not often depends on the condition of your heart more than your ears. Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
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