“The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice“. John 10; 2-3
We have all been designed to recognise the voice of the Lord, God has created us to instinctively recognise Him when He speaks. Unfortunately, many people struggle and wonder if they are actually hearing him. Yet when we read these verses it doesn’t say that the shepherd speaks to some of the sheep, that a special few are chosen by name and can hear his voice. It says, “the sheep listen to his voice”, ALL of them. Sometimes we have just bought into the lie that it couldn’t be him speaking to us. We think that somehow we are not worthy or do not qualify. That is not the truth, we can have confidence in our ability to hear the voice of the shepherd.
This would have been a radical message for the Jewish people. They would have understood instinctively the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep as a connection built on trust and dependence. In the old testament God had been revealed as the great I AM, as the Lord almighty, the supreme God. He was all powerful and all knowing. He was mighty and He was just. Yet Jesus comes to reveal a more intimate side of God. He reveals him as Father.
This would have been a revolutionary idea for the Jews of that day. God would have seemed far off. Strict rules and regulations governed who could draw close to the presence of God, but Jesus was coming to remove all the barriers. The crowds were instinctively drawn to Jesus because his words brought life. People who had been in captivity for years were suddenly hearing the truth and it was setting them free. The religious leaders were trying to destroy Jesus’ credibility by trying to refute his heritage, his education as they questioned where his authority came from. However, they could not deceive the people as they were drawn to the voice of the true shepherd.
So, what does that mean for us today? God calls us personally. Notice Jesus doesn’t talk about how the shepherd deals with the flock. He talks about each sheep. He talks about an intimate knowledge - they are called by name. You have been built for an intimate connection with Jesus. You hear his voice and he calls you by name. So, what else do we know about this intimate connection? “I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father”. John 10:14-15. He goes on to compare this intimate relationship between the sheep and the shepherd with the intimacy between the son and the Father. This idea of being truly known is what lies in the heart of every man and woman. For someone to know us completely and accept us warts and all. And when someone knows us so well we can have an assurance in how they will lead us because they are perfectly suited to understand exactly what we need.
Today have confidence in your good shepherd going before you, calling you by name and leading you into green pastures and beside still waters. Remember He will provide for your every need and protect you from all harm.
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Who Do You Say I Am Series – Exchange Church Belfast 2020