John’s Gospel ch10 vs1 – 5, 11, 14, 25 – 28.
Today’s technology is such that a phone can recognise the
voice of its owner, and will automatically ring the number of the name he
speaks. This is known as “voice recognition”
We also find voice recognition in this passage of scripture,
spoken by the Lord Jesus:
ch10 vs1) “Verily, verily, I say unto, He that entereth not
by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a
thief and a robber.
2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of
the sheep.
3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice:
and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before
them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from
him: for they know not the voice of strangers”.
In Israel ,
three shepherds and their flocks of sheep from different pastures, happened to
meet each other by a main roadside. Whilst they were chatting, the three flocks
of sheep freely mingled into one. When the shepherds were ready to move on,
they each called out, and every sheep knew their own shepherd’s voice,
separated, and followed him. Sheep only respond to one voice – it is not random,
but personal and intimate.
vs14) “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am
known of mine”.
We can also be like sheep, who are prone to wander and go
down our own pathways, but we need to listen to His voice as our good Shepherd
– and to respond to it.
John’s Gospel ch20 vs16, Mary responded to her Master’s
voice.
Our Shepherd is always near at hand amidst our times of
sadness.
We can point to the time in our lives when we had personal
contact with our Shepherd – Romans ch10 vs9) “That if thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised
him from the dead, thou shalt be saved”. vs10) “For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation”
The Lord Jesus Christ died for our personal sins, and the
sins of the whole world.
Our eyes need to be opened to be sorry and to confess our
sins, and by trusting in His blood given at the Cross we are saved from our
sins eternal consequences – death and Hell.
We who are saved should share our testimonies concerning our
Good Shepherd with others who are yet to know Him. Are you still to know Him?
If you have been doubting God, do not
beat yourself up over it, but come believing just as you are. Jesus will accept
you.
John’s Gospel ch11 vs25) Jesus said “I am the resurrection,
and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”.
Although many people’s lives can often feel hurt, or dreams broken,
to know The Lord always brings renewed comfort and certainties, because of His
empty tomb and resurrection.
Do you recognise the voice of Jesus?
We cannot yet see Him, but we can know Him as Lord.
2nd Corinthians ch5 vs21) “For God made him who
had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness
of God”.
The Lord’s Cross allows us to stand before His holiness
without shame.
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