Hearing from God

Hearing from God

Matthew Ruttan October 29, 2026 2:59

How do we hear from God?

That’s a big question. And a lot of very smart and faithful people have spilled a lot of ink about it.

But there’s something that a lot of people haven’t thought about when it comes to hearing from God.

The Second Helvetic Confession is a statement of faith from the sixteenth century, mostly authored by Heinrich Bullinger. Here is what it says in chapter one:

“Wherefore when this Word of God is now preached in the church by preachers lawfully called, we believe that the very Word of God is proclaimed, and received by the faithful; and that neither any other Word of God is to be invented nor is to be expected from heaven: and that now the Word itself which is preached is to be regarded, not the minister that preaches; for even if he be evil and a sinner, nevertheless the Word of God remains still true and good.”*

There’s a lot there, so let’s slow down on a few of the critical points.

When trained and ordained preachers speak from the pulpit by explaining and applying a biblical text, and when those words are received by a congregation of faithful people, the Lord can and does use those words to communicate with them.

And let’s not miss the incredible fact that God does this even if the preacher “be evil and a sinner”! Wow, that sounds harsh. But the point is that the Scriptures have power to communicate because they are inspired by God, even if a preacher is an imperfect sinner and is having a bad Sunday. Nothing can get in God’s way!

When I first thought about this, I felt a bit awkward. After all, I’m a preacher. But after I spent some time contemplating it, I realized that it made perfect sense. It’s all about the power and goodness of God, not the preacher.

Here are a few practical applications.

First, God will communicate with you in a variety of ways. One of them is Bible-based preaching.

Second, if your preacher is less-than-ideal, you can still get something out of the sermons. As long as the Scriptures are being read, you can be built up in faith. The main thing about a sermon is the text—not how clever the preacher is (or isn’t).

Third, you have a role to play. Be an active and prayerful listener. In Romans 10:17 Paul writes: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Look for God’s wisdom from the text and expect God to communicate with you.

Sunday mornings can look pretty normal. People say Hi in the parking lot, comment on the weather, take their seats, and sing to God’s glory. But just because things seem normal, that doesn’t mean they are.

God uses normal things, and normal people—and even sinful people!—to do extraordinary things. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”