Sermon on 8 May 2022 by Pastor Gaius
Introduction
How does the voice of God like to speak to us?
Message
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:27
My Voice versus Not My Voice
Besides of the voice of Jesus, there are also the voices of others. When we come back to the word of God, then we know which voice is truly from Him and which belong to the world. Differentiating good and bad is not difficult. But differentiating good from good is not easy.
In John chapter 9, Jesus healed a man who was born blind. The blind man shared this miracle with everyone, and the Pharisees were not happy.
Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains. – John 9:39-41
The Pharisees knew the laws well. They could take bits of it and twist the words around into something which sounds right. But they did not know God. Therefore, if you do not know the word well, it is easy for you to listen to the other voices. If you are not close to Jesus, you will not know His voice. Therefore, it will be easy for you to mistake others’ voices for Jesus’ voice.
A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” – John 10:5
All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. – John 10:8
but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. – John 10:26
It takes faith to believe in the word of God. His sheep hear His voice. We must be His sheep in order to hear His voice.
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. – John 10:16
Jesus wants to look for the sheep who are not within His fold yet. Jesus wants to bring them Him to listen to His voice. There will be one flock under one shepherd. We are partakers of this wonderful grace from Him. Hence, we will also want to bring those into this sheepfold.
I Know Them vs I Never Knew Them
This is a worry that many Christians have. These are people who do many works in God’s name. Yet, Jesus declared He did not know these people.
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ – Matthew 7:23
Let us be sheep that Jesus knows. How do we do this? By knowing Him. This is a very close relationship. You are full of faith, and every step you take is based on whether it would please God. We do good works because Jesus’ love is overflowing and we want to share it with others.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. - John 10:14-15
Hear His Voice
Are we able to hear His voice? When we read the word of Christ, this is where we can hear the voice of God.
To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. – John 10:3
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. – Romans 10:17
We are not merely believers of Christ. Even the devil believes in Christ. The difference is that the devil does not follow Christ. But we do. Hear God’s voice and follow Him.
When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. – John 10:4
In the parable of the sower, the seed is like the word of God. We must let it take root in good soil.
He who has ears, let him hear. – Matthew 13:9
And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” – Mark 4:9
Having ears to hear – Jesus means to understand the word of God well. We must hear the word, understand and accept it, and do good work for it to bear fruit.
As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. - Matthew 13:23
But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. – Mark 4:20
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. – John 10:28-29
The greatest blessing is to be in the presence of God. He will walk through the valley of the shadow of death with us. We are always near God.
Closing
Are we able to discern His voice? Are we able to listen? Are we able to return? The bible directs us to the Father. Let us continue to hear from God.
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