May 15, Unmistakable voice

And His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.

John 10:4

In his book, Building a Church of Small Groups, Bill Donahue relays a story from his early years as a part-time youth pastor while attending seminary. He was visiting a farm where two members of his students group lived, and their father decided to teach Bill a lesson. This is the story from Bill’s perspective: 

He asked if I could help call in the sheep. I enthusiastically agreed. We stood at the pasture fence, watching 25 sheep graze. 

"Go ahead," he dared me. "Call them in." "What do you say?" I asked. "I just say, 'Hey, sheep! C'mon in!'" 

No sweat, I thought. A city kid with a bad back and hay fever could do this. I began in a normal speaking voice, but Tom interrupted. 

"You are 75 yards away, down wind, and they have their backs to you. Yell! Use your diaphragm, like they teach you in preaching class."  So I took a deep breath and put every inch of stomach muscle into a yell that revival preachers around the world would envy: "Hey, sheep! C'mon in!" 

The blessed creatures didn't move an inch. None even turned an ear.

Tom smiled sarcastically.

"Do they teach you the Bible in that seminary? Have you ever read, 'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me'?" Raising his voice only slightly, he said: "Hey, sheep! C'mon in!" 

All 25 sheep turned and ambled toward us. Tom had seized this teachable moment. "Now, don't ever forget," he said. "Help shepherd my kids."[1]

In John 10:4, Jesus reflected on the analogy of the shepherd: “His sheep follow Him because they know his voice.”  This simple creature, the sheep, quickly hears the voice of the shepherd, follows no one else, and depends entirely on him.  The sheep know their shepherd’s voice, for the relationship offers the advantage of hearing Him distinctly.  

Obvious from John 10:1-5, Jesus was drawing His own portrait as the “Good Shepherd.”  And, from within this literary portrait comes the emphasis upon you and I hearing from our Shepherd.  Can you hear Him speak?  

From the pages of Biblical history come countless stories of real lives (from Adam to Paul, and beyond), upon whom God invaded human personality in a one-on-one experience.  The divine encounters of Abraham, Moses, David, Jeremiah, Mary, and Peter were demonstrations of personal divine moments that far exceeded a general or indirect encounter.  These were real people who truly lived in personal conversation with God.  In more modern history, St. Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, and Charles Spurgeon were, in the words of Dallas Willard, “persons for whom personal communion and communication with God were regarded both as life-changing episodes as well as daily bread.”[2]  And the same should be for you and me. So, can you hear Him speak? 

From John 10:4, notice the triple-pronoun usage: “His” sheep, follow “Him,” “His voice.”  Those who hear the voice of the Good Shepherd are the ones who are His, and who follow Him.  Consequently, they know His voice. 

English Philosopher and Theologian, John Baillie commented, “Our knowledge of God rests on the revelation of His personal presence.”[3]   God reveals Himself in the walk, in the Word, and through the ongoing journey of faith with Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit makes known all that the Father and the Son have said.  The personal presence of God becomes the reality of our true “knowing.”  All other discoveries are mere puffed-up knowledge without the relationship.  Therefore, do you desire to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd? Do you desire to truly have God’s divine guidance?  If so, the ongoing relationship with Jesus – looking to Him as to your daily bread, positions you relationally to know His presence.  The knowing of His presence constitutes communion, without which there could never be communication.   

Today, slow down, quieten down, and listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd.  And do not expect nor require sensationalism. Instead, quiet yourself, and genuinely prioritize the relationship.  Learn to listen.  Know His voice. He will speak as He desires, and the voice will be unmistakable.    

Blessings.

READ

Read John 10:1-15, and better know your Good Shepherd.  

[1] Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson, Building a Church of Small Groups (Zondervan, 2001), p. 106-107.

[2] Dallas Willard, In Search for Guidance (Ventura: Regal Books, 1984), 20.

[3] John Baillie, Our Knowledge of God (New YORK: Charles Scribners Sons, 1959), 132.