The transcription of the service is below
Revelation 2:7
“Whoever
has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
John 10:1-18
“Very truly I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:1-10 EARS TO HEAR IN THIS NEW YEAR
Springford Baptist Church: January 3, 2021.
For this New Year of 2021, I have been praying about what theme to follow. What I have come to is a challenge and a necessity for us as individuals and as churches. It centers in this whole matter of LISTENING FOR GOD. In the vision that John, Jesus’ disciple receives, recorded in the last book of the New Testament, Revelation, we have the compelling words of Jesus, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7) Do we have ears to hear what God is saying to us? What does God want us to hear and to act on in this year before us? There continue to be multiple concerns on the world stage and right in our own communities. The spread of the COVID virus has disrupted our lives and entering this New Year, does not mean that everything will “return to normal.” It is essential that we have ears to hear what God wants to say to us in this New Year. that involves earnestly seeking God and turning our attention to His voice every day. We will look this week at what Jesus has to say in John 10 about having ears to hear.
When our family travelled to New Zealand, we learned that for every person there are 20 sheep. Quite the ratio. Sheep even have the right of way on the roads. When a flock of sheep is crossing, you most stop your car and wait. The flocks of sheep are driven by both shepherds and dogs. They call it “mustering the sheep.” It is fascinating to watch. There is a destination and the sheep do not decide the destination, the shepherd does. The sheep are inclined to try other options, but the shepherd persistently moves them forward to where they are to be.
Now Palestinian shepherds at the time when Jesus, God’s Son was here on earth did things differently. They did not drive the sheep from behind, they led them from the front and the way they did this was to call them by name because the sheep knew the voice of their own shepherd and he was the only one they would follow.
vs. 5 indicates: “ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
Our experience of Jesus is
all about relationship! When we talk about wanting to be led-wanting
to understand God’s direction for us as individuals and as a
church, we need to be familiar with God’s Voice.
vs.
4 “… His sheep follow Him because
they know His voice.”
This happens over time that the sheep have learned to recognize the Voice of the Shepherd and they have also learned that they can trust the Shepherd. The Shepherd will lead them to places of safety and nourishment and rest.
How have you learned to recognize God’s voice?
We are the sheep and Jesus is the Shepherd. The challenge we face every day is accurately discerning the Voice of the Shepherd.
We know don’t we that there are various voices competing for our attention. Have you found as I have that there are several different versions of what is truth these days. We need careful discernment when it comes to who we listen to and how we respond.
There is the voice of materialism trying to convince us that we need more things, more products. As we have been staying at home during this pandemic, the advertising and the messages of what to buy have been bombarding us constantly. People who really enjoy shopping have had limitations to this possibility, but have still been able to order online and have things delivered right to their doors. In the midst of a lot of chaos that we are currently experiencing, the voice of materialism is trying to convince that “money really can buy happiness.”
These persistent messages come at us all the time, trying to sell a life of satisfaction and security that would be tied to what we are willing to spend.
This is not the voice of the Shepherd who loves us.
Then there is the voice of “me first.” This voice is everywhere. This is the voice that convinces people that their rights are what matters most and they should insist on their rights even to the detriment of others. It tells students trying to decide what they will do with their lives that they should choose whatever will make them the most money and allow them to do whatever they want. It tells couples planning to get married that each person should insist on his or her own way and not to give in under any circumstances (this is not love and this does not make for a long lasting happy marriage). This voice tells people who have reached their senior years that they have worked hard and deserve to sit back and just think of themselves now without regard for others or how they might still have something worthwhile to give to benefit someone else.
This is not the voice of the Shepherd who loves us.
What about the voice of hopelessness. This is the voice that sees all the things that go wrong and seem unfair. This voice whispers in our ears that this world is getting worse and worse by the minute. This voice points out all the disappointments and hurts that we experience instead of the blessings. This voice ignores good news and only highlights bad news. This voice has been increasing in volume and intensity with what we have been facing and continue to face during the upheaval of this pandemic.
The voice of hopelessness is not the voice of the Shepherd who loves us.
The voice of Jesus, the Shepherd who loves us and calls us by name, invites us to follow Him. This does not mean that we will not hear the other voices competing for our attention-the voices of materialism, me first, and hopelessness, but we will have the discernment compelled by the Voice of the One who truly loves us and wants what is best for us, to ignore those voices and to follow Him.
We do need to come to this place of wanting to be led by God in order to hear His Voice clearly! LISTENING FOR GOD must be an intentional and ongoing activity. “Whoever has ears let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7)
In the times when we strain to hear God’s voice and to sense that He is near, it is not that His Voice is not there, but the other voices are drowning out the Voice of the One who loves us as no one else ever will.
Notice here, when Jesus is speaking to those who were trying to understand that He explains, “The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy.” (John 10:10a) This is the purpose of the thief (Satan) who does not care anything about the sheep. The thief does not want what is best for the sheep but what is best for him and his purposes. The thief, unlike the Shepherd is not motivated by love and the result is the destruction of the sheep.
By contrast, Jesus emphasizes His purpose when we hear His voice and respond. Jesus says, vs. 10 “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”
Nothing else could compare with the full, abundant life that Jesus offers when we hear His voice and follow Him!
This is not just being led step by step through the complications and delights of this life, but this is the assurance of one day being led to the place of everlasting life with Him forever in heaven (life to the full-nothing missing).
When we have learned to recognize the Voice of Jesus who loves us, all the other voices fade in comparison.
No one else can offer us what Jesus, the Good Shepherd can.
If we are wanting to be led by God each day, we need to hear His Voice and be willing to follow wherever He will lead us.
How amazing to be LISTENING FOR GOD and choosing tofollow the lead of One who loves us this much!
Will we have EARS TO HEAR IN THIS NEW YEAR?
As we come to celebrate Communion together on this first Sunday of the month and first Sunday of this New Year 2021, I want to read what Jesus says in the verses following the Scripture we were considering today:
John 10:11-18 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.14 “I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Jesus, out of His great love for us, is the Good Shepherd who is willing to lay down His life for the sheep, for us. He is the One we remember and listen for as we come now to the Lord’s Table to recommit to LISTENING FOR GOD and to following His Voice.