THE VOICE OF JESUS

Last Sunday we confirmed a group of young disciples who have journeyed through the confirmation program for the last three years. Pastor Travis preached about Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who calls his sheep, and they follow because they know his voice. 

“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.” (John 10:4-5) 

This metaphor is based on the fact that sheep develop the ability to distinguish the voices they know from those they don’t. The shepherd uses phrases, whistles, and noises unique to that shepherd so that the sheep follow. My dog knows my voice – especially if I use the word “treat.” Sheep do the same. Hearing and recognizing the voice of Jesus: that is what the three years of confirmation are all about.  

We live in a culture where learning that voice is less and less important to more and more people. The thing is, if you never learn the shepherd’s voice; if you never know the vocabulary of love, grace, forgiveness, and peace you won’t recognize the voice of Jesus. You will be subject to all the other voices that scream at us every minute of every day. 

We live in a world where the prevailing voices tell us that the world is divided into winners and losers. You better not be that latter! The voice of Jesus says, “You are my child, my beloved, no matter what.” We live in a world where the loudest voices tell us that violence should be met with violence and revenge is sweet. The voice of Jesus says, “Forgive endlessly. Put away the sword!” We live in a world where the most powerful voices tell us it is all about having more and accumulating things. The voice of Jesus tells us that what we can own will perish. Only what he offers will last forever. We live in a world where the most pervasive voices tell us we need to be busy every minute and there is always room to jam something else into the empty slot in the calendar. The voice of Jesus says, “Remember the Sabbath and rest.” 

This all means that the voice of Jesus may not always be the most popular. If, however, we truly desire a life that has eternal purpose and meaning, a life that brings joy in sorrow and strength in weakness, we will learn and then listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. After all, it is the voice of Jesus that brings Lazarus from the tomb and turns Mary Magdelene’s tears to joy. It is the voice of Jesus that makes the broken whole and forgives the evil we have done as we listened to the wrong voices. Our bosses, coaches, political leaders, economic gurus, and billionaires can do none of what Jesus does. So why listen? 

Learn the voice of the Good Shepherd, my friends. We teach it here in church all the time.  

Pax Christi, Tim Olson – Lead Pastor