One summer when still a student in seminary, I was serving as pastor of a little country church in Central Texas. To help pay off some bills and upcoming tuition for the fall semester, I hired out to a dairy farmer. I knew something about beef cattle, but very little about dairy cattle. So the summer became quite a learning experience.
One of those lessons came early on. The first time I attempted on my own to ‘call’ up the cattle, they just stood and looked at me. On the other hand,when Glen, the cows owner ‘called’ there was no hesitation. They immediately came for the evening milking. I ‘called’ the same as as Glen did, but they would not respond to my voice. Why? What made the difference? Well, the answer is simple. I was a stranger and they would not follow me because “they do not know the voice of strangers”–John 10:5b.
That is what this lesson is about in the 10th Chapter of John. It is about the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. Although I used milk cows, the principle is still the same. It speaks of a relationship, a bonding between shepherd and sheep.
The application is simple:
- The sheep represent us; born-again believers.
- The Shepherd is Jesus. Jesus calls Himself the “Good Shepherd”. “The Good Shepherd Lays down His life for the sheep”–John 10:11.
As the Shepherd, Jesus wants us, His Sheep to know two things . . .
I. He wants us to Know Him. In John 10:14, Jesus says, “I know My own sheep and My own sheep know Me.” (italics, mine)
- He already knows us. He knows every intimate detail about us. Even before we were born, God knew us. c.f. Psalm 139:13-16
- He wants us to know Him, too. It is possible to know about Jesus; to know that He is the Christ, the Son of God but not know Him personally, by faith as savior and Lord. That is how Jesus desires that we Know Him. As Paul writes in Philippians 3:10, “To know Him in the power of His resurrection.”
II. He wants us to Know His Voice. In John 10:3-5, Jesus said, “The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out . . . He goes on ahead, of them, and the sheep follow Him because they know His voice.”
Why is it important for us to know the voice of Jesus? It is because in the world there are a lot of false and deceptive voices that try to lead us astray. Satan, our enemy constantly attempts to lead us astray with a deceptive voice. He calls to us, entices us and tempts us, all the while trying to get us to follow him. Even the sheep in the parable knew not to follow his voice because his voice was the voice of the enemy that leads to death and destruction.
But, those who are God’s own can know His voice and follow Him.
III. He wants us to Know some things that are always True about His Voice.
- God’s Voice is always the Word of truth. (John 17:17)
- God’s Voice is always the Word of Love. (I John 4:8)
- God’s Voice is always clear and precise. God never gives mixed messages; He never contradicts Himself; He never contradicts His Word, and He never tempts us to do that which is evil. (James 1:13)
How do we do that? How do we come to know and recognize His voice? Some practical suggestions:
- Spend time with Him.
- Talk with Him. Visit with Him like you would with your closest friend. Listen to Him, become acquainted with the sound of His voice.
- Read about Him. He wrote a Book! Read it!
- Spend time with other sheep. Listen to them talk about their relationship with Him.
- Worship Him
- Walk with Him. Let Him ride in the car with you. Take Him to work/school with you. Have a cup of coffee with Him.
There was as man in the Old Testament, Enoch, The father of Methuselah of whom it was said, “Three hundred years he walked with God . . . and he was not, for God took him”–Genesis 5:21-24. A little boy explained it this way: Enoch and God walked and talked together every day. One day they were so absorbed in conversation that they didn’t realize how far they had walked. Toward evening when the sun was beginning to set, God said to Enoch, “We are closer to My house than yours! Why don’t you just come on home with Me.”
Close with “I Come to the Garden Alone”