Listen to Me

Please stand as you're able for the reading of the Gospel.

Our Gospel reading this morning comes from John chapter 10 verses 22 through 30, which you can find on page 1306 in the Pew Bible.

The time came for the Festival of Dedication (also known as Hanukkah) in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple, walking in the covered porch named for Solomon. The Jewish opposition circled around him and asked, "How long will you test our patience? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, but you don't believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, but you don't believe because you don't belong to my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life. They will never die, and no one will snatch them from my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them from my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." This is the Word of God for the People of God. You may be seated.

So the last couple of Sundays we have been doing a series called "Living" and we started with "Believe in me" then "Follow me" and now today "Listen to me." It kind of sounded a little weird at first that follow came before listen. right But part of that is because of the lectionary part of that I think is intentional. We have this sort of belief that our beliefs will shape our actions or behavior, which is true, but our Behavior also shapes our beliefs. So for example, let's say you finally decide to make a change one day.

Just deciding that isn't enough. Got also do something.

Let's say I decide to to run in the marathon that's not going to happen.

I decided I get online I do all the research. All right, what's what's the best way to prepare for a marathon? What what are the best shoes to buy the best clothes, but I don't actually start running.

How successful do you think I'm going to be?

Not very successful at all. No, I have to actually engage in the running.

Maybe as I'm running all realize now this at this isn't the path that God has for me.

Or maybe you'll realize that the more I run the better I feel.

Sometimes we have to make a commitment. To do something even though we don't feel like it yet.

Sometimes we have to decide to to follow. Even if maybe we're not totally ready to listen. at least if we're following at least if we're coming to church and I'm sitting in a few and

hopefully opening our hearts. We'll get ourselves to a place where we can listen.

Not just in the sense of hearing. but in the sense of listening and doing

is interesting cuz in the Old Testament in the Torah the word for obey it's sometimes good translated as obey but a better rendering of the word is listen.

because it's not just about obeying because we we have to because when we listen when we we listen with our hearts, we can open ourselves up to the call of God. Maybe even to see things in a new way. And to live life in a way that we never imagined.

this morning our Passage in the Book of John it comes after. The passage where it where Jesus refers to himself as the Good Shepherd. It's not the same day though. It's if several weeks later. But there is a thing that's that's running through this. Jesus says I am the Good Shepherd.

But in that this course, he's also talking about how The Hired Hands the Sheep don't belong to the Hired Hand. And so when they see the wolf they run. Because they don't care about the welfare of the Sheep. But Jesus who is the Good Shepherd is willing to lay down his life for his sheep.

Jesus as the Good Shepherd knows his sheep. Can call them by name?

I've heard stories of people who actually raise sheep and they know the differences between every one of them. They can name all that, you know. for some reason the word Bambi came to mind, but Are the ads that's Bella? That's Bob. I don't know. But to me, they would just all look the same. How can you tell them apart?

But they can tell him apart because they spend time with the sheet. They know. How does she behave? And because I know how that she behaved they can also tell when something is wrong. When a sheet maybe isn't behaving as it normally does it's a sign that they need to do. Take a closer look.

But also the Sheep know the shepherd. I heard one story of a girl who I guess was Raising sheep for 4-H and she knew each of the Sheep by name and when she would call the cheat to come to her. They would come. And you showing this to a friend of hers and the friend decided to try it to no response. So he tried to change the tone of his voice to match his friend and that didn't work either. Because if she knew her voice. She was the one who had gained their trust. By taking care of them and feeding them.

My sheep know my voice. And they follow me.

in the passage

I love the visual is scary but is a great visual Jesus is in Solomon's porch and the Jewish opposition circles around him.

Then closing upon him. He has no way out seemingly. They say if you are the Christ tell us plainly.

Jesus says I have told you. we don't believe

I have told you through my actions.

The works I do in my father's name testify about me.

So here we can find out two things a our actions.

Say a lot more about us than our worst.

But we also learned that Jesus doesn't always answer the questions. in the way that we want him to

Jesus knows at this group who desired to Stone him later and verse 31. It literally says they pick up stones to Stone him.

They have a An expectation image and understanding of the Messiah that Jesus does just does not fit. They are still clinging to this this understanding of a messiah.

But isn't. Who Jesus is called to be?

How many times do we have? Something in mind this is the right way.

and maybe we feel that if we go to church if we do the right things if we tied we we say the right things.

Then God will hear us and and and bless us.

but the problem with that is that

it's basically an attempt to control God.

It's not a process that requires us to stop and listen.

Earlier this week. I heard somebody use this definition to describe idolatry. He said the problem with idolatry. Is that it it God doesn't talk. You're never required actually listen.

You never required to Ashley maybe have to to change their way of thinking.

I thought that was an interesting definition. I'd never heard idolatry coined. It is describing quite that that way.

I think of that because I'm looking at this this Jewish opposition who who have stones in their hands?

And I'm wondering if maybe the reason they are not. part of Jesus's flock because they are not willing to admit that they are the Sheep.

Maybe they understand themselves to be The Hired Hands. Maybe they even think there's a shepherd.

But I see you in this this refusal. To let go of their control.

let go there their preconceived ideas of how the Messiah should act

and be able to look at Jesus and the works that Jesus is doing.

and to realize

At what? Jesus is doing?

is healing is giving life

there's nothing harmful about what God is doing through Christ.

But what God is doing through Christ is a power greater. And we can ever fathom.

And it's threatening.

Especially to the ones who who have that power.

And the Old Testament the word Shepherd is usually metaphor 14. King David was a Shepherd boy.

God's understanding of kingship is not everything must obey me. I am in control. I have the power but rather God's understanding of kingship of shepherding. Is I am the servant?

Through my life my actions I will invite. people into my kingdom

God doesn't want us to love him because we're afraid of going to hell.

God wants us to love him and to be in a relationship with him because God desires to give us life. And give us life abundant. We're the ones who get in their own way.

I can remember as a child growing up.

There were times when I wanted to do something in my parents wouldn't let me.

Because they could see the dangers. That I didn't. Because they could see the consequences that I couldn't even imagine yet. And as I got older, I began to realize that my parents wouldn't let me do things not because they want me to be miserable and never have fun. But because they want me to be safe.

Because they want what's best.

And it was just really frustrating when I hit that that teenager kind of years right around 11 or 12, or they stopped just telling me what to do. And started kind of making me have to decide for myself.

Cuz I would go to them and I would ask them what I should do. And the response is what do you think you should do? I don't know. That's why I came to you.

As frustrating as it was again looking back on.

I can see that when I went to them to ask for advice. I knew already what I should do.

But either I just didn't like it didn't watch him. or I was afraid to trust myself. The trust that yes, I was making the right decision.

I find that a lot of people are sometimes afraid actually to listen to God.

Maybe they're afraid that if they actually sit and listen to God he going to call him to go to Africa.

I don't got not going to make us do something that makes it's just absolutely miserable. I think that God created us with the gifts and talents that we had because he desire for us to use those gifts and talents.

For me, it is not missionary work in Africa.

For me it's being here.

Walk alongside each of you through the season of your life. And for you to walk alongside me through this season of My Life.

My sheep know my voice.

tooth out of curiosity How many of you have heard in some way God speaking to you?

God good. For some maybe it's actually an audible voice if they can hear the words of God resonating with them. For me, it's always been much more subtle than that.

every once in awhile

I would do something just kind of need your reaction. Completely out of character for me. But right after I do or say something I'm like, why did I just do that? Like that's not what I was usually do or say.

Adventure enough given time it was what needed to be done? And I know then that was God.

Not God, you know taking possession of my body or something. But through the Holy Spirit, you know. Giving me an impulse.

We had those those impulses. Some of them come from our own hearts and Minds some come from God. And it's up to us to figure that out.

I remember in college. I had an opportunity to go to a it was a camp called diving deeper for first student to exploring Ministry and I remembered that on the basketball court. They had a prayer Labyrinth very makeshift one. It was just a long rope and everyone thought it would be knots in the Rope winding around and maybe be a pile of rocks and in one place and the instructions that I was given with that, you know as you walk this Labyrinth each not each stone represents an obstacle in your path something that is getting in the way between you and God whether it's a sin that you haven't, you know, apologize for or recognized. And I remember and all might like what 20 year old wisdom looking at that and thinking I don't have that many obstacles. A boy, but you know, I'm going to go ahead and do this and in just engage in the factors and see what happened. So I took my hearing aids out because I can and just to have this Islands in and just distraction-free Zone and I remember just kind of standing at the beginning and praying before it began walking that God would open my heart ears.

And then I started to walk very slowly. I had an idea for the first couple. After I was done with that and thought I was dying, right? I would be approaching the next one. and I thought we're coming to my mind that I hadn't considered or remembered.

And I would have this moment.

But it's subtle.

It's not a thought that I would have caught if I hadn't been intentionally engaging in this practice.

Because we're going about our daily life in doing our our many errands and going to places and talking to people we have thought that go through or mine. constantly some weed notice others we don't

I remember last night. I was actually the game and somebody made a mistake in the card game and you know just was beating herself up about it and then her friend said friend, would you treat a friend that way? No, you're right. That's a good point.

We can have the negative talk. We can beat ourselves up and then just constantly criticize ourselves for it. What's up? What's good what God desires that wants us to recognize went when we mess up and took to own up. And yeah, that was a mistake. I know now.

And then to forgive yourself for it. Now that forgiveness might take some time depending on how severe mistake it was. God desires us to forgive ourselves in a way that we can continue to live. We can continue to spread God's love through the world. But if we're so busy beating ourselves up. We're not showing God's love.

We're not showing the joy that comes from being able to to hear God's voice. following

So this morning? Really only have three questions. That invite you to consider throughout the week.

question 1 what do your actions say about who you are?

2 in what ways do you hear God's voice?

+ 3 Is God telling you something you don't want to hear?

Maybe because it doesn't fit the plan that you've had for yourself maybe because it's so big. It is overwhelming maybe because it sounds too good to be true.

But is God telling you something you don't want to hear?

amen