How well do you think you would do on a voice recognition test? By just listening to their voices, could you identify certain movie, TV, or internet stars, or politicians? You might do better if they were your especially favorite star. And perhaps you would have no problem in identifying a close friend, relative, spouse, or child. That is because you have a special interest and relationship with them. How about the Lord Jesus? Would you recognize His voice? Now naturally no one today can hear His actual, literal voice, but we can hear Him “speak” to us through His Word, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit “speaks” to us in our hearts through prayer. In our Scripture today, Jesus says that His sheep hear His voice and will follow Him. Are you one of His sheep? Let’s look into the Scripture passage.
Today’s Bible passage is from the Gospel of John, and these verses took place in the winter months, at the Feast of Dedication, which is also known today as Hanukkah. The festival of Hanukkah celebrates the cleansing, sanctification, and dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BC. This was after the Greek ruler Antiochus IV had erected a statue of Zeus within, and had sacrificed a pig upon the altar. There was only one small bottle of holy oil that had not been defiled, and the Lord God miraculously allowed that small amount to last to light the menorah for eight days. During this festival Jesus came to the Temple, and was walking along Solomon’s Porch, on the eastern side of the Temple’s outer court. This was a significant spot where rabbis would often teach people gathered there. It was here that some of the Jewish religious leaders came up to Jesus and specifically asked Him if He was the long-awaited Messiah or not (vs. 22-24).
Jesus responds back by telling these religious leaders that they have already been told, but that they do not believe because they are not His sheep (vs. 25-26). They do not, and will not believe because their eyes and mind are spiritually blind. Satan has blinded their minds, keeping them tied up in their man-made religious rituals and beliefs, and their hearts closed to receiving the message of salvation that Jesus brings. Just like so many today, their hearts and minds were closed and hardened. They only wanted to see and hear what they wanted to see and hear, and only believe what they wanted to believe. They did not have a soft and tender heart for the Holy Spirit to speak to.
The Holy Spirit speaks to those whose hearts are open to Him. He opens their eyes and minds to the Scriptures, drawing them to faith in the Lord Jesus as Savior. Those who have faith in the Lord Jesus become God’s children, adopted into His family, and become one of His sheep. Genuine believers know the Shepherd's voice (vs. 26-27). We hear it in Scripture, in prayer, and in godly preaching. We know it because He knows us, and has made us His own. A sheep knows his shepherd's voice. Even though he may be in a crowd of other sheep, and other shepherds are calling out, he will respond to his shepherd’s voice, and no other.
There are many benefits to being part of God’s flock, being one of Jesus’ sheep, and the greatest one is that as a sheep of the Lord’s flock we have been given eternal life (vs. 28). We read here verses that speak of the Christian’s eternal security, once saved always saved. True believers are kept by Jesus Christ, and cannot lose their salvation (vs. 28-29). No one who is safely in His hands can be plucked out. They are His forever.
Even though we are held securely in the Father’s hand, and will never lose our salvation, we can drift in our obedience to Him. Like a sheep who takes its eyes off of the shepherd, we wander onto paths that we think will lead to something better for us, but actually are dangerous, and lead to sin. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, and guard against pursuing anything except His will.
As our Scripture closes, Jesus states that “I and My Father are one.” (vs. 30). This is a direct claim to His deity, affirming that He is equal with God. There are some who say that Jesus never claimed to be God, but this verse gives lie to that statement. Jesus is not just a prophet, or a teacher, or just a good man. He is fully God.
As we close this Scripture, we have seen that only those who hear and follow Jesus are His sheep. Though all are welcome to come to Him and join His flock, only those who hear and respond to His voice are His sheep. And once one is a part of the flock, they are kept by Jesus, and can never be lost. Jesus’ words are authoritative and trustworthy. In this world where nothing seems secure and everything seems unsure, Jesus speaks in absolutes. His Words have no exceptions, no exemptions, and no excuses.
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