The Voice Of The Shepherd

Text: John 10:1-18

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (11/8/98)

Introduction:    The Power of a Voice good or bad (Patrick Henry/Hitler)

 The Diversity of Voices (languages)

One Voice stands out for the believer (The Voice of the Shepherd)

The same in every language.

Contrast of a shepherd and a stranger vs.1-5

There are other (false) shepherds.  There are other voices

Jesus is the Door of the sheep

Jesus is the Good Shepherd vs.11-14

How can He be both the shepherd and the door?

He is also…….

The One Shepherd

John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd.

The Great Shepherd

Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

The Chief Shepherd

I Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

The Voice of the Shepherd is emphasized in this passage.

Read verses  3,4,16,27

Characteristics of His voice…

Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Holy Spirit Speaks to us through written Word of God.  May use experience, emotions, circumstance & wise counsel, but never in contradiction to God’s Word.

The Word of God reveals that His voice is …..

A Terror to Sin

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

A Mighty Voice

Psalm 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

A Still Small Voice

I Kings 19:11-12 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12  And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

The Voice of Many Waters

Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

·         There is a 3-fold response of the sheep to the Shepherds voice:

I. The Sheep Hear His Voice vs.3

John 10:16, 10:27;

John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

To hear with understanding

A. If you will “hear” you must be listening

Illus: Children listen, but do not always hear

B. Calleth His sheep by name

Each has a unique name given them by the shepherd

The sheep may all look the same to the untrained eye, but not to the Shepherd.

Psalm 103:13-14 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Stress importance of the individual

C. They are “His own” sheep

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

II. The Sheep Know His Voice vs.4

To know from observation. (Not mere intellectual knowledge)

That observation based on a relationship with Christ.

A. They recognize His voice quickly.

B. They distinguish His voice from the voice of strangers

To fail here leads to destruction and devastation.  Vs.12-13

C. Get to know His voice first, then you will recognize and avoid other voices

Phil 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

III. The Sheep Obey His Voice vs 4

John 10:27

They follow Him

A. Christ does not ask us to go anywhere on our own.

“He goeth before them”

Matt 28:19-20/ Hebrews 13:5/ Prov 18:24

B. Experience and faith strengthen our obedience.

C. There are benefits in Obedience

1. Provision vs. 9-10

2. Protection vs.11-13

Conclusion:    

Illus: A lost sheep

Hear, Know, and Obey His voice now in the good times.

One day your spiritual life may depend upon it.