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Voice RecognitionOctober 2, 2008John 10:1-10 ‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Children don’t call their parents by their first names, we call our parents "mom" and "dad." One might think that this would be very confusing when out shopping in a crowded store. When I’ve been out shopping with my mom and we’ve wondered away from one another, I’ll call out, "mom." Now there might be ten women around me who are all called "mom" by their children, but none of them turn around. Only my mother recognizes my voice and answers me. Likewise, when children are playing and then one of them starts to cry, parents automatically know the sound of their child’s cry. "That’s mine," they’ll say as they get up to check on them. Children are raised to be weary of anyone who approaches them that they do not know. Stranger danger is instilled in us from a very early age and lingers with us into adulthood. Strangers can be threatening; we do not know what they are capable of if given the chance. In this scripture passage, strangers are on the prowl. They are attempting to steal the sheep away from the good shepherd. Now sheep are not the smartest animals, so they might seem to be easy targets for the intruders. Surprisingly, the sheep are not fooled. They know their shepherd’s voice and remain faithful to him alone. Jesus is telling this story to his disciples. He warns his disciples of the threat posed by those disguised as worthy leaders to follow. Jesus knows that many will seek to confuse the disciples and thus lead them astray, but as long as the sheep (disciples) know the shepherd’s (Jesus) voice, then they will remain secure and protected. Although the image of sheep and shepherds don’t resonate with us today as it did with Jesus’ disciples, the message is still clear. Just like a parent can recognize their child’s voice and vice-versa, we must know the voice of Jesus in order to remain secure within his fold. There are many voices that we hear on a daily basis that seek to woo us away from God. These voices speak with authority and make us promises of greener pastures. We must not be fooled. Jesus is the only voice that should stir us to action. As his sheep, our task is to learn his voice so that we can follow it. How do you hear Jesus’ voice? What do you hear Jesus saying to you? Are you willing to follow where Jesus leads? Prayer: Jesus, you are the good shepherd. Thank you for making me part of your fold. Help me to discern your voice from the others and follow where you lead. For more informationRev. Leigh Martin |
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