My Sheep Hear My Voice
Gary Waddell • Victory Ministries Middle Tennessee • November 9, 2022
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)
Although never owning a single sheep, I learned from reading and watching programs about sheep and shepherds. A flock of sheep will not listen or follow just anyone. When they hear the ‘shepherd’s voice’, they listen and follow because they trust their master, the shepherd. Shepherds brought their flocks in some eastern countries, into one centralized sheepfold with perhaps a dozen other flocks. They were guarded by a porter, but in the morning, the shepherd called and only his sheep came to him. Each sheep followed the voice and sight recognition of their own shepherd or master. This is a picture of our Lord calling His sheep. A blind man would follow a false prophet easily but Jesus’ sheep will “hear His voice” and recognize Him.
Probably the most beautiful and descriptive examples of Christ, as a Shepherd is this. “The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake” (Ps 23:1-3). The Lord is our “care-giver”. Simple as that. But only if we receive Him as our Savior and trust Him with all of our hearts (Jn 1:12). It is then when we hear His voice and follow Him. Saying you know Jesus and not listening to Him is basically saying “that you are not one of His sheep”. That may sound harsh, but the Bible tells us that it is true. The Jews came “round about Him” and as usual, ‘got in His face’. “Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you” (Jn 10:25-26). Those who do not believe in or have trust in Jesus are Not of His sheep. And those who ‘say they believe in Jesus’ and live for this world, are Not His sheep because they refuse to follow. Remember, Jesus said “I know them”. So we are not fooling Him at all. We may fool others and maybe even ourselves, but not our Lord Jesus.
Jesus spoke these words. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (Matt 3:18). For those who do not believe on Him, please note: they are condemned people. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live” (Jn 5:25). They “hear”. Those who “hear His voice” will hear it through a preacher, or a teacher, or by reading the Bible. They will not hear His word by eating a wafer in church. They will not hear His word by getting water sprinkled on them as an infant. They will not hear His word by performing rituals in a religious ceremony. And they will not hear His word through a false prophet (it will be mixed with false decrees). But they will hear His word by faith and that is by believing and receiving (Jn 1:12) God’s only begotten Son in their lives. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom 10:13). And when they received that marvelous gift of life from Jesus Christ (Jn 1:12), which is His gift for all, they will “follow Him” and He will give them eternal life. And that means “Everlasting life” (Jn 3:16).
Have you heard His voice? Have you called upon His name?
There’s no better time than the present. We may not have tomorrow.
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb 9:27-28).
Thanks for “Taking 5" • Gary Waddell • Victory Ministries Middle Tennessee
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